


My I

by whywenjunhui (dreameh)



Series: My I [1]
Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: (chapter 24), Always, Angst, Drama, Homophobic Slurs, I use the nickname Xiao Hao Hao way too much and nobody can stop me, Jin is Jun's boss, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Seungcheol knows something you dont, Supportive parents Jeongcheol, TAEMING, Tao is in chapter 7, Teen for language, There will literally be no smut here, WaIT I meant Meanie are great friends to Hao, break ups, but also fluff, he will be back, help me, i almost wrote sluts lmao, i am an innocent pure child, jeonghan is a bit skeptical about a lot of things, just saying, meanie are great friends, so many pet names, so much drama
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-01
Updated: 2018-09-15
Packaged: 2018-12-09 19:12:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 38
Words: 50,246
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11675322
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dreameh/pseuds/whywenjunhui
Summary: 'We will meet, don't yearn for meI'll know (I am your future)I'll know (you are my past)We will meet, forget about the yearningI'll know (I will protect you)I'll know (Please don't leave)'Or: They broke up but did they really fall out of love?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey so I'm here with another new story (oooh it's my first Seventeen fanfiction I've posted here). It's Junhao bc I'm a slut for Junhao. For this it's not OT13, it's OT14 bc I love Samuel and I don't want to leave him out. *Still salty af about Produce 101*  
> And also knowing me there will be cameos from other biases (mainly Minki bc son and hey he's Pledis as well)
> 
> okaY TIME FOR AGES/YEAR LEVELS (based on Australian system)  
> Cheol: 12th Grade (18)  
> Han: 12th Grade (18)  
> Soo: 12th Grade (18)  
> Jun: 12th Grade (17)  
> Soon: 12th Grade (17)  
> Wonu: 11th Grade (17)  
> Hoon: 11th Grade (17)  
> Seok: 11th Grade (16)  
> Gyu: 11th Grade (16)  
> Hao: 10th Grade (16)  
> Kwan: 10th Grade (15)  
> Sol: 10th Grade (15)  
> Chan: 9th Grade (14)  
> Sam: 6th Grade (11)
> 
> I had to do some serious math to work that out lmao
> 
> Start; 170626  
> End; -

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edited; 12/10

They had been enjoying a date when 'it' happened...

They were both devastated but of course, they didn't let the other know that and kept those feelings of despair to themselves.

But we should probably back up and see what happened, what 'it' is, before any assumptions are made.

* * *

 

I inhaled the scent of the food, took in the atmosphere of the place we were in and momentarily thought that I was back in my hometown, Shenzhen. The noise may be a bit louder, it may be a bit colder and the air pollution may be a bit higher here in Seoul, but sitting here in a small Chinese restaurant — owned by a kind, old woman from Minghao's hometown Anshan — with the love of my life, I still felt like I was at home.

**(Well fuck I'm crying I don't want to continue no more I don't want to do this I'm actually gonna cry)**

"Are you right there? Are you going to actually eat, Gēge, or are you just going to continue smelling your food?" Said love of my life and my best friend Xu Minghao asked, clearly amused. I smiled brightly at him and quickly booped his nose before starting to actually eat.

We first met when I was five and Minghao was almost four. Minghao's mother had suffered in an abusive relationship with Minghao's father and finally filed a divorce, got a restraining order against the man and took full legal custody of Minghao. She left the father in the house that once belonged to all of them, moved to a province far away and found residence for herself and Minghao in the house next to mine.

I was a curious child and when I saw a truck at the house that I knew had nobody to play with, I knew that something had happened, someone was moving in. So, using my stubby child legs, I went out the front of my house behind my mum and saw a little boy with his mother. I had squealed in excitement when I saw the boy but he hid behind his mothers legs, scared. I didn't find out until years later that it was because he was scared of loud noises, because his father yelled at him and blamed him for being the reason that he lost his job.

Of course, my mother was the ever courteous neighbour and introduced herself to his mother. While they were talking, I approached him, a bit quieter than before and introduced myself and asked him for his name. He looked up at his mother, who nodded to say that it was okay to say his name to me, and introduced himself. "I'm Xu Minghao." The biggest smile that my mother had ever seen apparently broke out on my face at this.

It only took a few days for Minghao to open up to me and within a week we were best friends. We were enrolled in the same classes throughout primary school. At six and five years old, we were enrolled in both dance and Wushu classes by our parents, giving us the choice as to whether we wanted to go down the path of martial arts or performing arts. We chose performing arts but still participated in the martial arts. When I was seven I was scouted on the streets to be a child actor. I had to drop dance classes for my acting schedule and Minghao was my still biggest supporter, even though I could see how upset he was that I stopped dance.

When I was nine, I had acted in two dramas, when Minghao was eight, he became national champion at a competition for Wushu. When I was 10 I had to take a break off of everything because I had gotten injured while acting and when Minghao was nine, he was able to do flips. During that break, I found the industry of Korean pop and I showed Minghao. We became obsessed with the very concept of being Korean pop stars.

When we were 11 and 10, we confessed this dream to my parents and his mother. We asked to move to Korea and so we could audition for a company when we were old enough. They said they'd think about it. When a year had passed and we were 12 and 11, we thought they had forgotten. They didn't.

When we were 13 and 12, I had just finished acting in what ended up being my last drama and we packed up and moved to Seoul. We spent the second half of that year being homeschooled together while we were being taught the language. When we were 14 and 13, we were finally separated, in a country that was still foreign at that point. We made our own groups of friends at these different schools but we were still as thick as thieves. He knew my friendship group almost as well as I knew them, just as I knew the same sorts of things about his own friendship group.

Neither of us minded that we were separated at school and had made new friends, because most nights, I would still sneak into Minghao's room through the window he left open specifically for me to get through and lay with him to help him get to sleep because more often than not, Minghao would go to sleep without a living source of warmth next to him and wake up screaming after having a nightmare about his father.

We started dating 10 years after we met, when we were 15 and 14 years old respectively. Any people who didn't really know us would say that we were too young to be in a relationship but everyone we knew supported us. We were still together even now, two years later. Most relationships between younger teenagers hardly lasted very long but we were going strong.

**(Are y'all gonna cry now you know their backstory bc I sure am)**

After we had finished eating, Minghao took my hand and led me through a nearby park and to the playground, where we sat on the swing sets. It was peaceful for a few moments, then one of us shattered the peace with a statement.

**(From here on it's not in Jun's perspective, it's just in a vague first person. It's not specifically Jun or Minghao and I won't identify who it is either)**

"I don't think we should date anymore. We're probably better suited as just best friends." I froze and side-eyed him, not willing enough to turn my head and see him, not with these tears in my eyes. He also looked mildly distressed. His smile was gone. He didn't even look like himself

"Why so suddenly? We were happy just before. What changed so suddenly for you to say that?" I asked, eyes wide. I was starting to panic. I thought back to everything that had happened in the past week, month, year even and wondered, what did I do wrong? Why did he decide we should break up?

"You did nothing wrong, don't blame yourself. I just... I thought, maybe we are better off as friends? I don't know I'm just questioning myself and I don't want to get you involved in my problems because we're dating." I laughed but there was no emotion in my laughter, no more happiness. "Dating me doesn't mean anything. I'd still get involved with whatever it is because you're my damn best friend."

"I... I'm sorry. It's too late now. I understand if you never want to talk to me again. I'll leave. I'm sorry." He stood up and left. The swing, now empty, creaked ominously as it moved slowly, forward and back.

Once he was out of sight, the dam broke and tears started flowing down my face. I was sobbing and I couldn't breathe. I felt like I was having a panic attack and I didn't know what to do. I felt so numb but at the same time I was full of emotions. I ended up crying until no more tears came out. That's when I finally left and went home, sending a message to a few people as I did so.

 

  
**Me**  
Please come over  
I need someone to be with me right now

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Y'all this chapter has been rewritten I hope you like it more now. I know I do.
> 
>  
> 
> This is my first Junhao ff. please love and support this like how I love and support China Line. Updates on Sundays.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jeonghan is concerned about Junhui and wants to find out what's causing his younger friend to be upset.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Part two is here~

**Jeonghan created the group and added Seungcheol and 1 other**

**Jeonghan**  
Junhui's crying  
I don't know what's happening help me

**Minghao left the group**

**Jeonghan added Mingyu and 1 other to the group**

**Jeonghan**  
Is something wrong with Minghao?

**Mingyu**  
Why?

**Seungcheol**  
Junhui's crying and we added him to this chat but he left immediately because Junhui was mentioned

**Jeonghan**  
I thought that because they're dating, he might know what's wrong

**Mingyu**  
Strange

**Wonwoo**  
Minghao is crying, I can confirm that

**Jeonghan**  
How do you know?

**Wonwoo**  
He called me over to comfort him, to sing him to sleep

**Seungcheol**  
That's cute but why did he need to be comforted?

**Wonwoo**  
I think they broke up

**Jeonghan**  
Nooo they were like the perfect couple  
Other than us

**Mingyu**  
And us

**Jeonghan**  
I guess  
Well we need to be there for our boys  
They're both hurting and they're our sunshines

-•-

**Jeonghan created the group and added Seungcheol and 5 others**

**Jeonghan**  
Junhao broke up

**Samuel**  
Jun...Hao?  
Junnie-hyung and Haoie-hyung??!

**Chan**  
Wait really?

**Jeonghan**  
Yes baby

**Jisoo**  
Why?

**Chan**  
^

**Seungcheol**  
We have no clue  
He's crying right now  
He called us over to comfort him  
But he won't tell us anything

**Soonyoung**  
How do we know this though?

**Jeonghan**  
Wonwoos with Minghao and he's crying as well

**Jihoon**  
Bitch imma stab him

**Seungcheol**  
No... please don't... it was a mutual decision  
He's still my best friend but it just hurts  
Because I think I loved him

**Jihoon**  
Jun?

**Jeonghan**  
Mutual??

**Seungcheol**  
Yeah?

**Jihoon**  
Can I at least hit him?

**Seungcheol**  
Not with your guitar and not too hard  
He's really fragile and gets upset quite easily

**Jihoon**  
... fine.

**Jisoo**  
Give the phone back to Cheol please Jun

**Seungcheol**  
Okay i have my phone back and Junhui's asleep  
He's exhausted

**Jisoo**  
I'm so worried for him

**Jeonghan**  
Me too

**Jihoon**  
Same

-•-

**Mingyu created the group and added Wonwoo and 3 others**

**Mingyu**  
We have a crisis  
Minghao and Junhui broke up  
And they're both crying 

**Seungkwan**  
Oh boo hoo

**Hansol**  
Kwan stop being rude

**Seungkwan**  
Oh my god

**Seokmin**  
You're not supposed to say oh my god

**Hansol**  
No

**Seokmin**  
Lmao

**Hansol**  
No  
Stop  
I'm actually really concerned for both of them  
Are they okay?

**Wonwoo**  
No  
Minghao is asleep now  
But he's not okay  
And from what Jeonghan and Seungcheol said, Junhui isn't either.

**Hansol**  
Well when Minghao wakes up, give him a hug and say that I'll come over with ice cream

**Wonwoo**  
He'll probably appreciate it.  
Also he muttered something about moving???  
I don't know why  
I don't know what goes through his head sometimes

**Mingyu**  
Oh I just got a message. Apparently Junhui is asleep as well and he said something about what happened  
'it was a mutual decision  
He's still my best friend but it just hurts  
Because I think I loved him'  
We cannot tell Minghao about this, okay?  
It'll break his heart even more if we do. 

**Wonwoo**  
Oh no

**Seokmin**  
I swear on my life I won't tell him

**Seungkwan**  
Same

**Hansol**  
I'm so worried for both of them  
And you better not.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I swear I don't like making my babies suffer??? Sorry for angst~ even if it isn't too much angst.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Junhui's in for a surprise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> UPDATE DAYYYY (well it is in Australia. I don't know about you all I'm not waiting anymore)

Wen Junhui was always a rather quiet boy, but after him and his boyfriend broke up, he seemed to be more quiet than what he was when he was still with the other boy. He hardly smiled any more and when he did, nearly everyone could tell it was fake. 

Nobody had known of their relationship, but everybody had suspected that Junhui was in a relationship due to his more positive outlook on everything and the effort he suddenly put into everything regarding school.

(Going from a 3rd person to 1st now, just saying)

I was aware of all of the stares on me, I was used to these already, nobody seemed to understand why I was more quiet, why I smiled less, why most of my smiles were fake, nobody even knew that I had broke up with him, let alone been with him in the first place. Ignorance sure is bliss, they would know because they're ignorant to my obvious suffering.

The only people who knew of this relationship were his and my friends, therefore there were 12 others who knew of our relationship. My friends Jeonghan, Seungcheol, Jisoo, Jihoon, Soonyoung, Chan and Samuel and his friends Mingyu, Wonwoo, Seokmin, Seungkwan and Hansol. Even though Minghao and myself broke up, all of my friends and his friends were still close, thankfully. Both him and myself didn't want there to be any tensions between our friends because we were all close when we were still dating and we didn't want to burden our friends with our failed relationship. 

"Junnie isn't that your ex-boyfriend?" Jeonghan asked, looking away from his own boyfriend who had been feeding him and over my shoulder at someone who had entered the cafeteria.  
"Impossible, he's at a different school and he likes it there because that's where all of his friends are. And we agreed that we were still friends so I'd appreciate it if you don't just call him my ex, he has a name." I denied instantly, not moving even the slightest bit and continuing to eat quietly. 

Jeonghan rose an eyebrow in disbelief, muttered, "Don't we all know that when friends date and then break up everything is awkward afterwards?" And continued to be fed by his boyfriend.  
I poked my tongue out at him and responded, saying "Well the last time we met we were fine, so that shouldn't have changed in a week since we last saw each other." I insisted, going back to my food. Seungcheol, Jeonghan's boyfriend, stared at something behind me for a few seconds before shrugging and looking back at Jeonghan with the fondest smile I have ever seen in my life. 

"You two are so cute." I cooed, smiling slightly. I went to put more food in my mouth, and had it in my mouth when someone touched my back and a familiar voice yelled out intending to spook me further. I choked on my food, Jeonghan's fond smile faded as his eyes widened in shock and Seungcheol smiled almost knowingly as I turned around. 

It was him.

It was Xu Minghao.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't you just love when things end like that :'))))
> 
> (Also Jeongcheol bc yes)
> 
> Please save me. The Innocence is such an amazing fansite I'm crying.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Junhao expose each other. Jeonghan is confused and Seungcheol knows more than he seems. Also Samuel is Jeonghan's child.

"Xu Minghao! You know you're not allowed to sneak up on me like that!" I shouted, half shocked and half mad at the younger boy who had scared me. He jumped in shock at the loudness of my voice. I ignored the stares of everyone in the cafeteria that I knew were burning with curiosity. 

Minghao smiled shyly at me and held his arms out for a hug. I complied and hugged him back, but pulled away shortly afterwards. "Why are you here?" I asked, a bit quieter but still in shock. "Who has said about moving schools once before?" He hinted and I narrowed my eyes and looked at him in suspicion. "No, no and no. You said that you wouldn't be moving schools because you didn't want to leave your friends." I huffed, reminding him of what he had said before we started dating. 

"That was a lie? Don't forget you are my friend as well." He reminded me and I opened my mouth to respond, but shut it shortly after because I knew he was right. I quickly looked at Jeonghan and Seungcheol to see their responses. Jeonghan looked vaguely shocked and Seungcheol looked slightly smug, for an unknown reason. 

I grabbed Minghao's hand and dragged him down into the chair next to me. The youngest member in our friendship group and one of the two people commonly subjected to being called Jeonghan's baby (the one of the two who actually liked being babied by Jeonghan) approached the table, pouting at Minghao who was sitting in his seat. 

"Jeonghannie-eomma." He whined when he arrived at the table and Jeonghan's eyes brightened and he turned to look at the smaller boy. "Muellie~! Samuel nugu aegi?" He asked excitedly. Samuel smiled brightly at the older boy, "Sammy is Jeonghannie's aegi!" He responded eagerly. Jeonghan's fond smile was back, but was now aimed at the youngest, rather than the oldest. 

Samuel looked back at Minghao and pouted again. He acted younger than his age (even though he was still just a sixth grader) when he was around Jeonghan and Seungcheol because they both spoiled him, treating him like he was their own baby. "Minghao-hyung is in my seat." Samuel pointed out, not reacting to Minghao being there in general, but just reacting to him being in his seat. Jeonghan's eyes widened at the opportunity that arose and he patted his lap, "Come here baby. Sit on Jeonghannie's lap." Samuel obliged and Jeonghan wrapped his arms around his waist after he sat down.

"How are you, Hao?" I asked "We haven't seen each other in what feels like forever." I finished, my tone making it obvious that I was over-exaggerating. Minghao laughed and I still pouted in response, because I knew what he was about to say. "We saw each other less than a week ago. Don't forget when you snuck into my house two nights ago so you could lay with me because you missed me." Jeonghan's eyes widened and Seungcheol almost laughed. I bit my lip to stop myself from laughing because I had actually forgotten that had happened. 

"Well you're the one who misses me so much that you leave the window open in case I miss you as well." I retorted. He blushed and I smirked at the response. "Are you sure you aren't dating still? You're very close, considering you're exes." Jeonghan observed, looking at us with obvious suspicion in his eyes.

"Hyung we've been best friends for 13 years. We're really close and we always have been." I noticed that Minghao's blush was becoming more noticeable and I looked at him with a slight smile. Seungcheol laughed. I turned and glared at him with the most hostile glare I could muster. He just laughed harder. I hate parents sometimes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hate my life. Can't you tell??? 
> 
> I'm actually so proud of Topp Dogg's Hansol. He came out as asexual and the ace representation is making me want to cry because to have an idol come out as ace makes me feel more valid.


	5. Chapter 5

"Where is everyone else?" Minghao asked hesitantly, looking at the mostly empty table. "I wouldn't be surprised if Jihoon and Soonyoung are making out somewhere. Chan wanted to study for an upcoming test in a subject he's not very good in, so being a good hyung, Joshua decided to help him." Jeonghan explained and I looked him dead in the eye and laughed at him, my laughter obvious and loud. "He's being a good hyung, unlike you." I provoked him. 

Jeonghan narrowed his eyes slowly as he glared at me, striking fear into me "Watch your back, Wen Junhui. I'm going to come for you, and I know where you live." I looked at Minghao as if asking him for help with what to do to save myself and he did what most best friends do when their best friend is in danger. He laughed at me. 

My immediate reaction was to whack him on the arm, disbelieving that he wasn't going to help me and trying to think of an excuse as fast as I could. "I-I meant you're not a g-good hyung because y-you're our eomma." I amended, stuttering in fear because Jeonghan could probably kill me and get away with it, not many people know of his diva-like, demanding true personality and still think he's an angel.

Jeonghan, satisfied with me fixing my response, smiled at me and continued to feed Samuel while Seungcheol fed him simultaneously. "Cheol, you should eat now. I'll eat more later during my free period." Jeonghan insisted, looking at his boyfriend with a pout when he tried to argue. "Okay Hannie. Thank you, my Angel." He smiled softly at him and started eating his own food, occasionally sending suggestive looks my way. I frowned and got out my phone, seeing a message from Minghao which momentarily averted my attention from sending a message to Seungcheol.

 

**Hao ❤️**  
Why is Seungcheol-hyung looking at us like that

**Junnie ❤️**  
I'm not sure. I'm about to ask though

 

I brought up the most recent message log without really looking at it and sent the question I wanted to ask Seungcheol. 

 

**Prince of China**  
Why are you looking at me and Minghao suggestively

**Scoup of ice cream**  
Bc you're behaving as if you didn't break up  
Are you hiding something from us  
( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

**Prince of China**  
No nothing is being hidden you ass  
We're best friends and this is how we behaved before we started dating as well. 

**Scoup of ice cream**  
Whatever you say

**Angel**  
Please check where you're sending these messages before you actually send them

**Prince of China**  
Shit

**Angel**  
You're lucky that this is one of the only group chats we have without Minghao in it  
And watch your language, Wen

 

"Junnie?" Minghao whispered, barely audible. I looked up from my phone at him in concern and saw he had tears in his eyes. "Hao, are you okay?" I asked worriedly. He shook his head slightly, looking afraid "Dizzy. Sick. Hurts. I'm scared." He whispered in Chinese, breaths becoming shorter and sharper as he started to panic. I stood up abruptly, scared for my best friend. 

He doesn't get sick often, but when he does, it's more than a simple cold and most of the time, the symptoms hit him all at once, scaring both him and me immensely. "I'm going to take Minghao to the sick bay. He doesn't look well at all." I announced to my friends, slinging both mine and Minghao's backpacks over one shoulder and picking up the hyperventilating Minghao bridal style before carrying him out of the cafeteria and towards the administration office, ignoring the stares that followed us as I left.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> iM SO SORRY I FORGOT TO UPDATE. I WAS DRAWING JEONGHAN WHEN I REMEMBERED. ALSO IM SO SORRY I DIDNT MEAN FOR DRAMA IT WAS MEANT TO BE FLUFFY FOR A WHILE.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He sicc 
> 
> Jun panicc
> 
>  
> 
> (I'm sorry I'm sick and all my mind can process are memes)

"The nurse isn't in and can't help. He needs to go to the doctors, he can't stay at school." I relayed what the school's administration officers said to me to Minghao's mother, speaking in Chinese so it was easier to understand for her. "Junhui, sweetie, I can't do anything, my work has sent me to China for some tasks and I physically can't be there right now. The only way for him to get to a doctor would be if someone else were to take him." She answered and I frowned. "Okay then Mrs Xu. Don't work too hard. We'll see you when you get back. I'll work something out." She only had enough time to say goodbye before I hung up and started pacing. 

"Mr Wen? What did Mr Xu's mother say?" The main administrative officer asked. She was the one who helped me with putting Minghao into a bed in the sick bay. "She said she can't come... But I am allowed to take him to see a doctor." I added quickly, the idea coming out of my mouth as fast as it came to mind. "How can we be sure you will take him there and not elsewhere?" She asked, looking suspicious, but then she continued once she noticed how offended I was.

"It's not that I don't trust you, not at all, but we need proof that you can be trusted to take a sick student to the doctor without a parent. That's just how the school system works, you know that." That is absolutely not how the school system works, that's just how our school works. Nevertheless, I nodded in response and tried to think of a way to convince her to let me take Minghao to the doctors.

"I have known Minghao for 15 years, I doubt I'd do anything to hurt him, he's my best friend." She looked at me doubtingly and I sighed, taking the photo of Minghao and I when we were kids from the area between my phone and case. "Nobody really knew this but we dated for a few months." I told her what I had wanted to tell nobody, just to get Minghao out of the school.

I froze when my arm was halfway stretched to show the administration officer the picture from my childhood.  
Why was I doing this? Why was I putting so much effort into getting Minghao out of school and to the doctor? Why was I freaking out the way I did when the symptoms hit? Why did I almost have a panic attack when Minghao fainted? 

I wanted to say that I did it because he's my best friend, but I know that not many people would do that because of their best friend. I quickly shook my head to banish the topic from my brain, even if it was only temporarily. I held out the photo for her to see and her eyes narrowed as she inspected it. "Why do you have this with you so conveniently?" She asked, her tone teasing. I blushed and looked down. 

"Well, uh, as you would probably know, he transferred here and before that, I missed him quite often, even though we live next door, we're always busy and home at different times. So yeah, that picture exists because I miss him from time to time." I responded, covering my face shyly. She laughed slightly at me and I pouted. 

"Well, I trust you and I personally think that's enough evidence to trust you with him so I'll help you book an appointment, just to know when the appointment is and to make sure you actually book one. Then you need to call in to inform us what the results are." She listed the school's conditions for a trusted student taking another student out of school and to a doctor in the middle of the day. 

I nodded and she called me around to her side of the desk where I would have to get up the appointment booking app on my phone which already had the details put in for me and Minghao and even his mum and my parents. "Our doctors that we go to is about a 10 minute walk from here and it's also about 10 minutes away from our houses." I informed her. 

She nodded and I clicked on the name of the normal doctor we went to, knowing she was watching. The earliest appointment with him was in about 15 minutes. I clicked onto the time to secure the booking and chose who it was for, putting my phone away after it was booked and she nodded, acknowledging that what she witnessed was legitimate enough for me to take him. 

"Would you like me to take you there?" She asked and I nodded. "Yes please, I'd appreciate it if you would. A 10 minute walk with a panicking and ill Minghao would make it take more time." She nodded and went somewhere and returned with car keys. "If you could just get Mr Xu, I'll lead you to my car." I hurried to the sick bay and went to pick up Minghao who I noticed was conscious and now had bloodshot eyes. He had been crying. He was scared and concerned for himself for once, rather than another person. "Oh no, Minghao, come here baby. Breathe, baby. In through your nose, out through your mouth. Focus on my breathing if you're struggling to breathe properly." 

He didn't even react to the pet name I called him and neither did I, pet names were so natural rolling off our tongues that we never reacted to them anymore. I enveloped him into my arms and let him wrap his legs around me and he started to sob into my shoulder, trying his best to follow my breathing.

Once again, I started thinking about what I was doing. Is this really what someone would do for their best friend?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This update is over 900 words long I'm crying. Also pet names still exist even though they're not dating anymore because cute Junhao. 
> 
> If you want to talk to me, contact me on twitter or Tumblr. 
> 
> Twitter: whywenjunhui  
> Tumblr: dreameh-413


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What's up doc?

"Pneumonia?" She asked, disbelief evident in her voice. "Yeah. Haoie is one of those few people who sometimes get the symptoms all at once, which really is not good because what if it ends up being fatal? But it's pneumonia and I'm personally not sure about how severe it is and so the doctor gave me a script for antibiotics because it's bacterial, and told me to take him to the hospital just to be safe, so I took a taxi to the hospital." I explained. 

She hummed in understanding and cleared her throat. "What are the doctors at the hospital saying?" She asked.  
"Same thing, they're just running a few checks on his immune system, just to make sure there's nothing else wrong before they let us leave so that I can get him his antibiotics." I told her and I could hear the faint scratching of a pen on paper before she responded. 

"I'm assuming you will not be coming back in today?" She asked and I nodded, before realising she couldn't see me. My cheeks heated up and I cleared my throat before responding, "Ah, yes, I won't be coming back in. I'll be staying home and caring for Hao. I must go now, I have to call Hao's mother to tell her what's happening. Goodbye." I hung up before she could respond. I felt bad for lying, Minghao's mum had already been notified. The real reason I had to go was because the doctor was approaching me.

The doctor was a man who seemed to be a few years older than me. He was a very good looking man, I admit. His hair was dyed red and his facial features made him look quite panda-like. He wore small, mismatched earrings and I noticed he wore a band on his left ring finger. He was married, which didn't come to me as a surprise. Whoever he was married to was a lucky person, he looked like he was a caring person. When he stopped in front of me, I saw he had a genuine smile on his face, which relieved me. 

"Are you Mr Junhui? My patient Xu Minghao's boyfriend?" He visibly brightened when he asked if I was Minghao's boyfriend and I didn't have the heart to correct him. I nodded, guilt gnawing at my insides as I lied about our relationship. "I'm Dr Wu Zitao. I just came to inform you that everything is good with Minghao and he can go home. Do you know whether he's been getting enough sleep recently? He was struggling to stay awake when I was asking him questions and he's asleep now." The guilt I was feeling became worse. 

I was aware that Minghao always had trouble sleeping and preferred if someone was with him, but I didn't really ever sleep with him unless he desperately needed me there. I was ignorant enough to think that sleeping with Minghao when he directly asked me would be enough. "He struggles to sleep without human contact. I'll take care of that and then it shouldn't happen again. Is there anything else?" He opened his mouth to speak but changed his mind and instead pulled a business card out of his back pocket and handed it to me. 

"This is for if you want any advice on anything or if you're worried when something like this happens again. I'd prefer you contacted me directly and I checked him when something like this happens, rather than going to a doctor, or here, unless it's absolutely an emergency and you have to come here, of course." He informed me and my eyes widened. "Wait, advice? What for?" He rubbed the back of his neck almost sheepishly. "Well, if you need any help regarding your... relationship, you can talk to me. My... husband and I went through a lot of struggles and criticism, being a gay couple and I want to be able to help you two." I opened my mouth but closed it again, not having any idea of how to respond. 

The guilt that was bubbling up started clawing at the blockade that was holding me back from confessing that we weren't actually dating... the blockade was my strange desire to not disappoint the doctor because he thought that Minghao and myself were dating. "Okay... thank you for that Doctor Wu." He smiled softly at me. "Please, just call me Zitao, or even just Tao, I'd like you to consider me a friend rather than just a doctor. But back to the reason why you're here, I'll take you to Minghao now. He's in my office." I nodded and followed Zitao as he started to walk away, the smile still on his face. 

Yet the guilt was still there, clawing away at me as I followed Zitao with a fake smile on my face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What I wrote in this chapter makes it seem like Junhui is gonna do something bad to Minghao. I swear he's not he just feels really guilty for lying.
> 
> Also yes I am adding Zitao (and therefore Yifan) bc I feel that he would probably be supportive of our China line if he was still in EXO. I dunno why but that's just what I think. Soon enough I'll add Minki (I'm currently thinking that I'll add him as an older sibling of Jeonghan who sometimes hangs out with the boys.
> 
>  
> 
> Please be my friend.  
> Twitter- whywenjunhui  
> Insta- whywenjunhui  
> Tumblr- dreameh-413


	8. Chapter 8

"Hao, I know you didn't know that you were sick until when you felt the way you did but you could've at least told me that you didn't feel well before it got to that point. I was scared for you. I was worried that you had some sort of disease and I was so scared that you were going to die. I'm still so scared because what if you didn't transfer to my school today? What if you had gotten lost in the school? You're such an idiot for not telling me, but I'm such an idiot because I'm so fucking worried about you all the time." I quietly ranted as I was seated on Minghao's double bed, said boy laying asleep next to me. 

Zitao had told me not to wake him up and brought the both of us home to Minghao's because luckily he had a break before he had more work to do, which I was thankful for. The hospital was even further away from our homes than the doctors office and I don't know how I would've gone trying to bring him home by myself. I had decided to go back to Minghao's as I still had a single bed and knew that he would feel more comfortable if he were waking up in his own bed, even more so if there was an alive source of warmth with him. (Although, I was going to stay with him to care for him anyway)

"You may be an idiot but you're my idiot." I heard Minghao mutter and I froze. Did he hear everything I said? I heard the smacking of lips and I slowly turned my head and, frozen in fear and shock, I watched Minghao turn onto his side, facing away from me. I felt my face heat up as I realised that what he said was something that cheesy couples say to each other. I picked my phone up off the bedside table and opened the group chat I had with Seungcheol and Jeonghan.

 

**Prince of China**  
Please kill me  
I keep on blushing  
Bc of Minghao

 

Knowing that the two would be in class and hopefully paying attention to whatever lesson they were in, I decided that it might be smart to tell Minghao's friends that he was sick so I searched for a group chat that I'm sure that we had created and pouted when I realised I needed to create a group chat because we didn't have one already. 

 

**Junhui created the group and added Jeonghan and 11 others**

**Junhui set his nickname to Visualhui**

**Visualhui**  
I realised we didn't have a huge groupchat  
So I made one

 

**Visualhui set Jeonghan's nickname to Divahan**  
Visualhui set Seungcheol's nickname to Soup  
Visualhui set Samuel's nickname to Jeonghan's baby  
Visualhui set Soonyoung's nickname to 10:10 lateold  
Visualhui set Jihoon's nickname to Small Satan  
Visualhui set Jisoo's nickname to Jisoos Christ  
Visualhui set Chan's nickname to Chazza _(I saw my chance and took it I'm so sorry_ )  
Visualhui set Mingyu's nickname to Mingew  
Visualhui set Wonwoo's nickname to Bag of Luck  
Visualhui set Seungkwan's nickname to Booyonce  
Visualhui set Hansol's nickname to Rappersol  
Visualhui set Seokmin's nickname to Sockmin 

**Jisoos Christ**  
Shouldn't you be in class?

**Visualhui**  
Well actually that's the reason why I created this group chat  
To inform everyone about what happened  
Did Han or Cheol tell you about Minghao?

**Jisoos Christ**  
No? What about him?

**Visualhui**  
So he transferred schools  
To our school  
And he began to feel really sick at lunch after he surprised us  
So I took him to the office  
And they sent us to the doctors  
And they sent us to the hospital   
And then I befriended a doctor?  
And also Hao has bacterial pneumonia

**Jisoos Christ**  
Oh, good lord, is he okay?

**Visualhui**  
He's fine, just scared I suppose  
He's asleep right now though  
You have a free period right now, don't you? That's why you're on, isn't it?

**Jisoos Christ**  
Yeah, I've finished all the work I needed to do, but I'll still go anyway. 

**Visualhui**  
Okay then, bye hyung. 

**Mingew**  
Minghao didn't tell us he was moving schools

**Visualhui**  
He didn't tell us either  
I'm so glad he was around me when he suddenly felt sick though, because I know best how to handle him when he's like that

**Mingew**  
What do you mean?

**Visualhui**  
Did he... never tell you?  
He's known you guys for years I thought he would've told you  
When he gets sick, majority of the time, the symptoms come all at once   
He's lucky if he gets the symptoms over a few days like everyone else

**Mingew**  
He never told us.  
What if that happened when he was with us and you weren't with him?  
We would be freaking out as much as him

**Visualhui**   
I don't want to think about that please

**Visualhui added Minghao to the group**

**Visualhui set Minghao's nickname to Fairy8**

 

A rather loud ding sound from my phone when Seungcheol responded to my message startled me and I had the sudden fear that the sound woke Minghao up. I quickly turned my phone on silent and looked at him, sighing in relief when he didn't move from where he was laying on his side and his breathing didn't change. I looked back at my phone and almost screamed at the spam Seungcheol sent. 

 

**Scoup of ice cream**  
Ohohoho you're blushing around him  
( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)  
Are you sure you broke up?  
( ✧≖ ͜ʖ≖)  
╱\ ( ͡⚆ ͜ʖ ͡⚆)  
ᕙ(░ಥ╭͜ʖ╮ಥ░)━☆ﾟ.*･｡ﾟ  
( ͡°³ ͡°)  
( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)  
( ͠° ͟ʖ ͡°)   
ᕦ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ᕤ  
( ͡~ ͜ʖ ͡°)   
( ͡o ͜ʖ ͡o)  
͡° ͜ʖ ͡ -   
( ͡͡ ° ͜ ʖ ͡ °)   
( ͡ ͡° ͡° ʖ ͡° ͡°)   
( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)   
( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡ °)   
(ʖ ͜° ͜ʖ)   
[ ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°]   
(ง ͠° ͟ل͜ ͡°)ง   
ヽ༼ຈل͜ຈ༽ﾉ   
( ͡o ͜ʖ ͡o)   
{ ͡• ͜ʖ ͡•}   
( ͡° ͜V ͡°)   
( ͡^ ͜ʖ ͡^)   
( ‾ʖ̫‾)   
( ͡°╭͜ʖ╮͡° )   
ᕦ( ͡°╭͜ʖ╮͡° )ᕤ   
╚═( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)═╝  
You're going too fast baby

**Prince of China**  
Excuse my language but What the fuck is that

**Scoup of ice cream**  
It's part of a song Hoon and I are making 

**Prince of China**  
I was talking about the face but okay  
All I can think when I saw that lyric  
Was,  
ironically,  
( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

**Scoup of ice cream**  
Lateold is actually making a dance for it as well, with ALL of us, including Minghao's friends

**Prince of China**  
Holy Jisoos that's gonna be pretty hard to teach  
Half of us are so unbelievably uncoordinated  
Why tho

**Scoup of ice cream**  
It's for some competition  
I don't know the name of it but Hoon and Lateold are really serious about it  
And I heard it needs to be at least two songs per competitor 

**Prince of China**  
And when we're you guys planning on telling everyone this

**Scoup of ice cream**  
Idk  
Well, I gotta go because I'm not meant to be on my phone in class :')

 

_A competition? With all fourteen of us in a group? That's bound to be interesting._


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The plan is introduced. Also as of this chapter there is proper plot I guess.

**Soup named the group Seventeen Hoes**

**Visualhui**  
Cheol... there aren't 17 of us where is 17 coming from  
 **  
Soup**  
17 is the average age of all 14 of us...  
Well, for 13 of us bc I forgot someone when I was calculating  
BuT THATS IRRELEVANG  
 **  
Booyonce**  
What is this for, hyung?  
 **  
Chazza**  
Junhui hyung what the heck is this name  
 **  
Divahan**  
lanGUAGE CHAN THERE ARE BABIES HERE. INCLUDING YOU  
 **  
Chazza**  
Hyung you're not my mum  
 **  
Divahan**  
LeE ChAN I RAISED YOU ON MY BACK YOU DISRESPECTFUL BRAT I AM YOUF MOTHER  
 **  
Chazza**  
Sorry hyung  
 **  
Divahan**  
...  
 **  
Chazza**  
... sorry eomma  
 **  
Divahan**  
Good  
 **  
Sockmin**  
What is happening why am I here  
 **  
Visualhui**  
(¬_¬) Soup explain the children are confused  
 **  
10:10 lateold**  
Who let Junhui choose the names  
 **  
Bag of Luck**  
I think this is quite fitting  
 **  
Visualhui**  
I made the chat  
I make the names  
 **  
Rappersol**  
I'm not complaining  
 **  
10:10 lateold**  
Okay hyung sorry hyung   
**  
Booyonce**  
Same as Sol about the name  
 **  
Visualhui**  
I'm like 5 days older than you why do you even call me hyung  
 **  
10:10 lateold**  
You're scary hyung  
 **  
Small Satan**  
Well I am complaining  
 **  
Visualhui**  
... really?  
 **  
10:10 lateold**  
Yes you and Minghao are terrifying  
It's something about you Chinese boys...  
Where exactly is Minghao?  
How is he?  
 **  
Mingew**  
Yes how is my son  
 **  
Divahan**  
Boi he's my son and so are you  
 **  
Mingew**  
Do you even know me Jeonghan?  
 **  
Divahan**  
Binch I know mostly everything about all of you  
And don't question how I know, I just do  
 **  
Visualhui**  
Minghao is only younger than you by a few months Gyu.   
But, he's fine  
He's awake  
And he's sitting next to me and eating right now  
I've already gotten his meds so he's had those as well  
 **  
Mingew**  
Okay that's good  
But Jihoon-hyung your name is true  
 **  
Small Satan**  
Where are you right now Mingyu?  
 **  
Mingew**  
The arcade with Wonwoo on a date  
Why do you ask?  
 **  
Small Satan**  
Oh, no reason  
 **  
Small Satan is offline**

**10:10 lateold**  
He's coming to kill you he just left our apartment with a guitar  
 **  
Mingew**  
weLL FUCK COME ON WONWOO LETS GO  
 **  
Mingew is offline**

**Divahan**  
LANGUAGE THERE ARE CHILDREN  
 **  
Jeonghan's Baby**  
Eomma what does that word mean  
 **  
Divahan**  
You dont need to know baby  
 **  
Sockmin**  
Oh come on hyung, Muel  
Even I knew what that word was when I was 11  
 **  
Jeonghan's Baby**  
What word?  
 **  
Sockmin**  
Oh god he really is innocent  
 **  
Soup**  
nO-  
Jihoon was going to explain the competition thing...  
I don't even know what it is? I just agreed that we should do it bc experience?  
 **  
10:10 lateold**  
I'm still here hyung I know what it is  
 **  
Soup**  
Oh thank Jisoos  
 **  
Jisoos Christ**  
You called?  
 **  
Soup**  
Not really?  
Okay so now everyone is here (is with someone who's here in Minghao and Mingyu's case and was in Jihoon's case)  
Soonyoung and Jihoon found a competition and told me about it and I decided that all of us should compete as one group  
Soonyoung explain  
Please   
**  
10:10 lateold**  
Just as hyung said, it's a competition   
It basically allows us to become like idol groups for a night?  
We have to create our own songs for it and then choreograph dances  
It's at least 3??? per round and each round sorta has different expectations  
From what we know at least  
Also sometimes scouts for entertainment companies come and try to find groups to debut under their name  
And each round has a cash prize for the top group

**Booyonce**  
But why all of us? Why not just you guys from your school  
It'll be hard to do much because we're at different schools

**10:10 lateold**  
You think thats gonna stop us?  
We find a way to do everything so don't you worry your pretty little mind Kwan  
And plus, it'll be unfair because since... you know what... we all got closer than what we were before.

**Booyonce**  
Soonyoung hyung we met each other like once before they started dating

**10:10 lateold**  
Wow you couldn't be subtle could you

**Booyonce**  
Bro do you even know what subtle means?

**10:10 lateold**  
Do you bro?

**Booyonce**  
...no bro

**10:10 lateold**  
Same bro

**Sockmin**  
Bro are you leaving me for another bro?

**Booyonce**  
no bro  
Join us Soonyoungie  
We'll be the three bro threesome

**Sockmin**  
Bro

**10:10 lateold**  
Bro

**Booyonce**  
Bro

**Visualhui**  
What the fuck you three  
I suddenly have many regrets regarding making this chat

**Soup**  
I too have many regrets about you making this chat  
 _Soonyoung._

**Booyonce**  
Woah how is the writing tilted like that why can't I do that 

**Sockmin**  
Leader magic, bro

**10:10 lateold**  
Okay hyung  
so Jihoonie has been working on making new songs and perfecting older ones to use so that he has songs in case we do move on to later rounds  
So... yeah  
And I guess that Cheollie hyung wants to name us Seventeen? 

**Soup**  
Yea

**10:10 lateold**  
Are all of you just silently judging our decision

**Bag of Luck**  
No what makes you think that

**Jeonghan's Baby**  
As long as Jeonghannie-eomma will be there and helping me then I'll be happy 

**Divahan**  
Of course baby

 

_"Junnie, are you sure you're not hungry? You can eat some of my food if you want to because I'm not really hungry."_ Minghao offered and I violently shook my head. _"No, I ate before we left school. Hao you need to eat all of your food because you are already underweight. You need to eat whatever you can to gain enough weight so you're healthy. You're probably that weak right now because you are so freaking skinny."_ Minghao pouted at my response, faked being offended by what I said and then yawned. 

_"On another note, what do you think about Hoon, Soon and Cheol's plan to enter us in that competition?"_ I asked him, tilting my head slightly. _"I think it'll be fun! It's going to be crazy because there's 14 of us, but it'll be memorable because we're all doing it together."_ Minghao answered with a bright smile, well, a smile as bright as it can be when the person who is smiling is sick. _"Imagine if we win though and a company takes us in and lets us debut as a group, all 14 of us."_ I suggested, sighing wistfully with a small smile on my face.

_I could only imagine... the name Seventeen projected onto a screen at the music shows as we performed and won awards with our music._

_If only..._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Speech when italicised is in Mandarin don't forget ^~^ I'm dying don't mind me as I die in a corner with my upper respiratory tract infection.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Minghao is sick of Junhui staying home from school to take care of him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my fourth (maybe fifth) time trying to post this. I don't know I'm hoping it won't reset again when I go to sleep. (It's 1:43 am and I was at dance comps for 6 hours for 1 routine.)
> 
> Okay so I'm ver ver sorry that there wasn't an update last week. I got on here on Sunday and found that the update had been sitting there for a whole week without being posted. So random halfway-through-the-week update for you.

_"You had better take your own extremely great ass to school before I have to whoop it over there."_ Minghao hissed into my ear threateningly. It really didn't seem to be too threatening because of how he complimented my ass. He really didn't seem to be on board with my idea of staying home until he got better. _"But Xiao Hao~"_ I whined and pouted when he glared at me.

_"I want to take care of you~"_ I whined again and Minghao firmly shook his head in response. _"Ugh fine. But you have to call me every hour in between classes and also if you start to feel more sick. No excuses."_ I insisted and Minghao sighed. _"It'd just be better for me to go to school right now while I'm sick if you're just going to baby me this way. I have a mother who could be doing what you're doing."_ I pursed my lips together and rose an eyebrow at the stubborn boy. 

_"Minghao. Your mother is back in China for work right now and you know that. I am the only one who can take care of you until then other than my parents because I literally don't care if I get sick. I care about you more than I do my own health."_ He pouted at me and then sighed. 

_"I'll be fine, I'm practically an adult. I know how to care for myself. You need to be at school because now that everyone knows, Seungcheol, Jihoon and Soonyoung will probably start brainstorming ideas for our performance."_ I shot him a look and thankfully he seemed to understand what I was trying to convey. _"I know but you need to trust me. You've already said that we'll call each other between classes and I promise you I will do that. Now, you need to go otherwise you'll be late."_

I tried to argue, to prove my point, but I knew that it would be no good and obliged. I got my bag organised and quickly changed into a fresh uniform. _"What's your schedule Hao? I'll get you whatever work you've missed."_ I asked and Minghao pointed to a sheet of paper pinned to his board that was littered with photos. I approached the board and scanned the timetable and was genuinely surprised when I saw that his schedule was exactly the same as mine. 

_"How come I didn't see you until lunch if you had the same classes as me?"_ I asked, turning around for a few seconds as I asked the question, not noticing that he smirked at me as I turned back around. _"Generic excuse."_ He responded. I blinked a few times before I turned so I was facing him. I turned so fast that I almost got whiplash. _"Xu Minghao you little shit! You can't just say generic excuse!"_ I complained and he grinned at me. 

_"Well I had a tour of the school so it was technically a generic excuse because that's what always happens at a new school."_ I pursed my lips and frowned at him in a silent protest. _"Come on Junnie-ge. Don't pout at me like that. Just go, okay? I'll still be here."_ I sighed and slung my bag over my shoulder, walking to the door. I had my hand on the doorknob when I remembered something. _"Have you had your medicine?"_ I asked and Minghao nodded, looking at me with innocent eyes.

Just to be sure, I checked the box on Minghao's desk with the medicine in it and nodded in acceptance when I saw that there were two tablets gone, just as there should be. _"Okay I'm going now Xiao HaoHao."_ I called out just after I stepped out of his bedroom and I turned to see that he pouted at me. _"Were not 10 any more Gēge."_ I smiled at him softly and closed the door, walking towards the front door and I took my spare keys off of the hook I had put it on temporarily while I was in the Xu's house. I opened the door and locked it after closing it and looked up at the sky once I stepped on to the sidewalk.

_"We may not be 10 anymore, but sometimes I wish we were, then maybe life would be a bit more simple."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please stream the My I music video . Jun and Minghao deserve so much more than this. They don't even have 1 million views on the Chinese version mv and they have worked so hard on this.


	11. Chapter 11

"Okay. So can someone please tell me why the heck everyone is squished together here in my room?" There was an outburst from the bleary-eyed boy who was still buried under his blankets. It was Minghao who had recently woken up after having a mid-afternoon nap after his and my call before my last class.

He looked at everyone else judgementally; at Seungkwan and Seokmin who were poking each other, at Hansol whose arm seemed to be slowly inching closer to his best friend's waist as he looked at the two in jealousy (I say best friend, but those two are both oblivious to their feelings and I'm sure they're probably dating without even knowing so themselves), at Jisoo who was just quietly observing everything that was happening, at Chan who was tapping away on his phone, playing a game.

At Wonwoo and Mingyu who were making faces each other and being a gross cheesy couple, at Jihoon who was zoning out and glaring at the wall, at Soonyoung who was leaning his head on his boyfriend's shoulder as he was slowly drifting to sleep, at Samuel who was sitting on Jeonghan's lap and nodding off due to the fingers that were gently raking through his hair, at Jeonghan who was said person playing with Samuel's hair as he himself was seated between Seungcheol's legs and at Seungcheol who had his arms around both boys and was resting his chin on top of Jeonghan's head.

The response to Minghao's question was approximately 7 boys trying to explain the answer to his question all at once, Seungcheol looking at those who were speaking while he was trying to explain it himself in annoyance. It was 7 different interpretations of what was happening. I just shrugged and looked at Minghao, smiling because he was smiling.

Even though it may not seem like it, I knew he was happy to see everyone. "Hey! Shut up and let Seungcheol-hyung speak!" I shouted over the chaos and I covered my eyes once half of the people in the room turned to look at me. "Thank you, Junhui. So, Minghao, we are here in your room because I thought it'd be unfair if we held a meeting for planning songs for the competition and left you out, which brings us to where we are right now." Seungcheol explained and Minghao nodded in understanding.

"Jihoon, continue please. You're our genius composer. I still don't really know much than what I talked about in the group chat." Seungcheol finished, looking at the pink haired boy who had his laptop on his lap, waiting for this moment. "Okay, so I have some old drafts that I can use and revamp for this first round because it's too late to make new songs. As you may or may not know, there are four rounds to this competition. The first round needs three songs and then every other round needs four, the second and third rounds have specific conditions and as the fourth round is the final, it's mixed." There were various levels of enthusiasm in the responses from those of us who were listening, some like myself nodded and others like Seokmin and Samuel voiced their understanding loudly.

"So, this is the first song I'm thinking of using for the competition, maybe make it a bit more upbeat so we can dance to it." He started playing a mainly piano backing track with a slow, but good beat.

  
  
"I think we can probably have this second in our line up and have a really upbeat song for our first one, I'm hoping to find one to use somewhere I haven't looked yet. Also, I've already thought of some lyrics for this song, and I know that they will still work even if the track is sped up. This another song that I have almost finished and I think we could use it for the first round, maybe as the last one for our performance. I have already had Seungcheol, Soonyoung and Hansol helping me with lyrics." He started playing a new track.

  
Seungkwan looked at his 'best friend' in shock. "You've been meeting up with them and I didn't know? We spend all of our time together." Hansol made finger guns and shot him a cringy smirk, clearly not knowing how to respond. I laughed and quickly covered my mouth when I realised I was laughing louder than expected.

"Oh so that's the song that you wrote that lyric from in our message." I didn't realise I had spoken out loud until I noticed that nearly everyone was staring at me like I was crazy, except Jeonghan and Seungcheol who knew what I was talking about. "Yes." Seungcheol answered simply and waved everyone off. Jihoon suddenly shouted, which made a few of us jump and also woke up Samuel. "Lee Jihoon what was so important that caused you to wake up Sammy?" Jeonghan asked with a deadly glare as he restarted his method of helping Samuel to sleep.

"Sorry, Muellie. Its just that I found a song I made and liked that we can use that was accidentally buried in the drafts of songs I didn't really like." I, along with many others, stared at the overexcited Jihoon in shock as he hurriedly played it.

  
"This can be our first song in the competition! It will be a great song to start with!" Jeonghan begrudgingly nodded in agreement while still combing through Samuel's hair, trying to lull him back to sleep.  "Let's start with lyric ideas, okay?" I didn't respond and looked at Minghao, trying to figure out who to ask to swap with so I could sit next to my best friend. It was a pretty obvious choice actually, on one side of Minghao was Chan and the other was where Mama Bird Jeonghan was sitting with his boyfriend and our maknae.

"Channie... Can you swap spots with hyung, please?" I requested and the smaller boy looked at me with suspicion initially but ended up climbing over the bed and sitting himself down on the swivelling desk chair that I had recently vacated. Once I had sat down I discreetly put my hand on Minghao's back and started drawing on his back. He side-eyed me momentarily and then smiled. I smiled softly back at him and wanted to cry inwardly because of how cute he looked even though he was sick.

I also wanted to cry because I realised that the fluttery feeling I got when looking at Minghao from when we were dating was back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoops I almost forgot to update. I have an excuse though okay I had to write chapter 16 for on Wattpad otherwise there would've been no update there.
> 
> So the song list for the competition has been released;  
> Shining Diamond  
> Adore U  
> Fast Pace
> 
> yes you bet I'm just going to have title songs and then my favourites scattered about for the competition (for a second I thought I spelled competition wrong rip)


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dances are being taught and songs are being sung.

"Seungcheol-hyung! You messed up that move again." Minghao called out from where he was sitting on a chair in the performing arts auditorium —which doubled as the dance classroom— covered in blankets, courtesy of me. I rushed over to where Minghao was sitting from my position and asked my oldest hyung to repeat the section we had been working on so I could see what he was doing wrong and try to correct him.

Once I saw what it was I sighed with relief, seeing that it was something easily fixable. "Okay hyung, I see what you're doing wrong now. Firstly, you need to stop looking so stiff, secondly, you're getting your arms and legs mixed up. Sammy come here along with hyung, I'll show Seungcheol-hyung what he's doing wrong with you as my example. Soonyoungie's not here at the moment so Hao and I are watching and teaching you what he's taught us of the routine so for him we need to make sure all of you are getting it right. Chan, can you go over that with everyone else while I help Cheol? You're our next in charge with dance."

The second youngest nodded and started running the movements again. The oldest sighed and walked over. The youngest in our group also came over to me with a smile on his face, looking like he seemingly thought that he felt like he was useful, even if it was only in the slightest. (Although I don't think that would be the case at all, he is very useful and helps with choreography suggestions often)

I stood up and my fingers grazed Minghao's arm as I walked over to Samuel and Seungcheol watched everything that I was doing. Seungcheol smirked and I shot him a glare momentarily before smiling at Samuel and gently moving his arms and guiding him to move his legs to mimic what Seungcheol was doing when he did the movement. "Hyung, you're doing this, you're meant to be doing this." Samuel moved to the correct position, "And this is what the movement is meant to look like." Samuel did the movement the correct way, slow enough for Seungcheol to process.

"Like this?" Seungcheol showed me the movement again and it seemed closer to what it was supposed to be. "Almost. You've got the arms and legs right now but you're still really stiff. Your movements do need to be sharper, but you need to relax. At this moment your shoulders are tense and it looks like you don't have a neck." I stated bluntly and he nodded in understanding.

"I see it too. Cheol-hyungie, you are doing the steps right but you need to relax a little bit. This is fun. It's a competition but this is meant to be a fun dance to do." Samuel spoke confidently and I nodded in agreement. "Definitely, I agree with everything that Sammy just said. You can go back now, I don't want to keep you from practicing any more. Thank you for your help." The younger boy beamed at me and walked back to his position. "Again please hyung."

We had to run the movement a few times more, with me doing it with him a few of those time, until he did it to my liking. "Okay let's go again, all together though. Thank you, Chan." I returned to my own position and looked at Minghao, signalling for him to start the music, which for now was just a copy of the backing track as Jihoon was taking people away to record lines.

"5, 6, 7, 8." I cued us into the phrase and occasionally watched Minghao as he was observing movements. He seemed satisfied, much to my relief. Once we finished I smiled slightly and turned to my best friend. "How was it? Did Seungcheol-hyung do better?" I asked and Minghao nodded and went to respond when the door suddenly slammed against the wall as it was opened. "Guess who's back bitc- boys!" It was the extremely loud voice of our dance leader.

"'Who's next?', you may be asking. Well good for you because I have the answer! Junhui-hyung you're in next." I nodded in understanding and walked to the door, turning to look at Minghao when I opened the door to leave for the room Jihoon was recording in. Minghao nodded at me once with a smile on his face and I left the room with a faint smile on my own face.

I had taken about five steps before I remembered I had no clue where Jihoon's recording room was. I started to go one way and suddenly realised that I wasn't going towards the right area of the performing arts education area, I was going towards the individual classrooms for specific instruments, not to the recording rooms and larger music classrooms. I immediately turned around and went towards the actual area I was supposed to be in.

As I walked through the hallway, I realised that I had forgotten which music room Jihoon was recording in and I didn't even have my phone to send a message and ask him. Humming, I started marking the routine as I walked down the long hallway, looking for where Jihoon would be. "Hyung, what the fuck?" I heard from behind me and I froze in my place and turned around to face said boy I was looking for with an awkward smile on my face.

"Dancing." I uttered and he nodded slowly, staring at me like I had grown another head. "So, we'll be recording your lines for all three of the songs." He explained as he led me back to the recording room he was occupying. Once we were inside he passed me a few pages with lyrics on them and I read over them, interested by what my own lines would be. "How long is it until this competition actually begins?" I asked, stumbling over my words occasionally due to me reading and speaking completely different words simultaneously.

"It's in about a month. So Minghao should be fully recovered by then." I smiled slightly at his words and was relieved that there was such a long time to go before we had to compete. "These lines... how is your mind picturing me singing these?" I asked Jihoon, holding the sheets out towards him. "Your lines for this one... because you don't have many it's quite simple, you need to almost whisper these first ones, do you get what I mean?" I nodded, somewhat understanding his vague explanation.

"So like this?" I proceeded to 'sing' my lines, even though it was practically the same thing. Thank god you'll be an easy one to work with. You saw how long I took with Soonyoung. Sometimes he's useless. Get in there and put the headphones on, I'll record your lines for that song then we'll move on." I nodded and made my way to the door which lead to the little recording room.

"Are you sure that he's useless and you weren't making out?" I asked cheekily and Jihoon threw a pillow at me from the chair he was sitting on. "Fuck off." He responded in a small voice. I poked my tongue out at him and walked into the room, closing the door behind me and putting the headphones on that were by the microphone. "Okay, so your lines start pretty much instantly, that'll be the only issue you may have with recording this. As soon as I nod and press the record button and the backing track starts, you need to start." He said through his special microphone.

I nodded and prepared myself. He nodded and I started. Even though I know I went too late I kept on going with my line, just for Jihoon to hear my voice against the backing track, in case he wanted me to do something else. "Let's try this again, hyung. You were a split second too late." I nodded in understanding and got ready to start again.

I finished recording my lines approximately half an hour later and when I returned I had to quickly catch up with part of the choreography which I hadn't been taught prior to Soonyoung leaving to record his lines. When I saw what some of the choreography was for the song 'Fast Pace', I almost left the room. "Why am I doing this with Jeonghan, of all people? Neither of us can stay serious when we do anything like this with each other."

To prove my point I made a face at Jeonghan just as he turned around and looked at me after hearing his name and his face broke out into a grin before he laughed. I laughed as well because he tried to copy the face I made and failed miserably. Soonyoung just shrugged. "Sorry hyung. I originally wanted it to be Minghao but Jihoonie said no." I pouted at him and made my way over to Minghao instead to ask him how he was feeling.

Of course, he said he was fine 'as always' and said that I really didn't need to ask him that question all the time. I knew from his sparkling eyes that he was relieved to be out of his room and I also knew that he was getting healthier as days passed. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Does anyone else imagine that when they were learning the choreography for Fast Pace, Jeonghan and Jun would've laughed at each other and potentially bumped into each other in the section where they mirror each other because I can imagine it and it makes me wanna cry because I'm all for seeing that


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Junhui gets just a little bit defensive about Minghao.

"Where do you think that new boy is? He wasn't even here for a full day and has been away for like three weeks now." I overheard one of the girls in my class ask one of her friends. I bit the inside of my cheek and looked down at my hands which were on my legs in order to keep myself quiet so I could keep listening to what the three girls would say about my best friend.

"I don't know... Didn't he faint in the cafeteria in the first day and someone from Jeonghan and Seungcheol's table carried him to the sick bay or something? The teacher said he's sick but I don't know about that."  _Stay calm. Stay quiet. Breathe in and out_. I thought over and over again as I watched myself curl my hand into a fist and I could feel that my fingernails were harshly digging into the palm of my hand, they were likely going to leave crescent shaped indents in the flesh of my palm.

I had this instinct that was telling me that they were likely going to say something rude. They seemed like they were those types of people who had no filter when they were around each other and didn't care what others thought.

"He looked a bit like a thug if I'm being honest. He looks like he's a troublemaker. I wouldn't be surprised if he was caught out with drugs or something and was sentenced to like a year in jail because he's too young to go for longer." The last girl in the group said and I stood up abruptly and stalked over to them, feeling like I was about to explode because of how mad I was.

"You do not have the right to say that about my best friend. None of you do! Minghao is away because he  _is_  sick. He has  _pneumonia_ and has been bed ridden for two weeks straight. He had to go to the  _hospital_  for Jisoos sake. I can't believe that the three of you are dense enough to think he's some sort of druggie without even knowing him for a second." All three girls were staring at me with wide eyes and one even looked like she was about to cry

Lots of people in my class were staring at the four of us in shock because nobody had ever seen me snap like this. I was normally a calm, quiet person in the classroom. "People like you despise me. If I didn't-" I went to continue with my rant but I felt a soft tug on the sleeve of my hoodie and then an equally soft voice spoke which made me temporarily forget why I was mad. " _Gēge_  stop, please." Was what the voice said to me.

I turned my head at break-neck speed to face the source of the voice, the source of the fond nickname and almost screeched. My eyes widened once I saw who it was. " _Xiao HaoHao?_ Why are you here?  _You should be at home in bed still_." I asked, astounded, as I abandoned the girls and returned to my desk with Minghao following. " _I've been feeling better, which you know. And I called Zitao-ge to check on me and he said I'm almost over the pneumonia so I'm free to come back_." I blinked in shock.

" _He said that I've gotten better faster than he expected. He said that we both need to thank you because you've been helping me get more sleep and that's helped me get better faster. So, thank you Junnie-ge_." He quickly hugged me and set down his bag on the desk next to me, which was luckily empty. There  _was_  someone who sat there before Minghao came but I bribed them with free chicken nuggets every week for two months to move desks. ( **That's the sort of bribe I'd give in to tbh)**

I stared at Minghao for a bit longer and then freaked out and clutched at my chest where my heart was located when I heard my phone emit its new (extremely) loud notification sound of Soonyoung screeching with Seungkwan and Seokmin. Those three thought that it was a brilliant idea to set everyone's notification sound for our group chat to them screaming. And although I wouldn't say it out loud, it sorta was a good idea because then we could identify whether it was  _our_  group chat or any other chat.

" _Jisoos fucking dammit Minghao you could've warned me before you sent that message_." I had barely finished that sentence before the notification sound went off again. " _Literally fuck this I'm going to stab whoever sent that message_." I huffed and turned my phone on silent (thankfully at a good time because literally a second later the chat was bombarded with messages). " _Well maybe I won't stab him because Muellie doesn't mean any harm_."

**Fairy8**  
Guess who's healthy enough to go back to school ^~^

**Jeonghan's baby**  
Yayyy hyung is back

**Mingew**  
IM GLWR YOURE TERLING BRTTER. ROBUT TT IN EORYA MAKUBF OUR EITH EONEOO HTIBG

**Booyonce**  
Um tmi germgyu

**Sockmin**  
How on earth do you know what he's saying???

**10:10 lateold**  
It translates to 'I'm glad you're feeling better. Sorry I'm sorta making out with Wonwoo hyung'

**Sockmin**  
Ew  
Also thanks for the translation?

**Jeonghan's baby**  
Does that mean that I'm going to have to sit on Jeonghannie-eomma's lap again?

**Divahan**  
I suppose it does Sammy  
Is that okay with you?

**Chazza**  
Asdgeghh

**Jeonghan's baby**  
Of course eomma

**Chazza**  
Why are you so considerate with him and not me  
I'm forced to submit  
I sense favouritism

**Divahan**  
Of course not Channie I would never show favouritism  
I love all of my children equally  
^~^  
The only favouritism that I would show is towards my lovely Cheollie~

**Visualhui**  
Ew romance  
Also shut up every one of you I'm going to kill the gag trio for giving me a heart attack because of that stupid notification sound

**10:10 lateold**  
Who??

**Booyonce**  
What's a gag trio???

**Sockmin**  
What's a notification sound????

**Visualhui**  
The three of you better start digging your graves

**10:10 lateold**  
If I die....   
Play Lucifer at my funeral   
Or Ring Ding Dong  
Maybe then I will descend to rule hell until Jihoonie joins me

**Divahan**  
Lmao

**Booyonce**  
Im going to get Jihoonie hyung to let me record a mixtape for my funeral.   
Goodbye cruel world

**Sockmin**  
Smh   
My bros are all doing musical things for their funerals  
I wanna be extra  
I wanna go out with a bang (banG BANG)  
Tie my corpse to a ceiling fan with a long rope and hide my body in a sheet above everyone with balloons and glitter and confetti and shit and have it closed casket  
Then when the casket is opened to say final goodbyes,  
Put the fan on full blast and watch my dead body fly around and balloons glitter and confetti will fall on everyone who will be screaming in fear

**Jisoos Christ**  
I don't swear like ever-

**Visualhui**  
What the fuck  
I'm gonna cry what sort of idea is that

**Jisoos Christ**    
-But what the fuck are you on Lee Seokmin  
I'm gonna take you to a therapist after our next practice  
I'm going to go now

**Sockmin**  
He won't, will he?

**Divahan**  
He will  
Believe me

**Visualhui**    
I'm just gonna... leave...  
Hahaha teachers here bye bitches  
I'm probs never gonna look at you the same way Sockmin

 

I quickly put my phone away and looked over to Minghao in horror. " _Why the fuck did you even become friends with Lee Seokmin? How_?" I asked in disbelief and Minghao opened his mouth to respond but shrugged, looking as speechless and horrified as I did.

" _I literally don't know whether I want to be associated with him anymore_." Minghao muttered, clearly in shock by the weirdness of our friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Their groupchat is a mess. Just like my life.


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> PREPARATION TIME MY PALS

"Honestly I'm so glad that at least a few of us know how to apply makeup." Jeonghan muttered as he started doing the makeup of yet another person. The others who knew how to apply makeup — Minghao, Seungkwan and myself — agreed as we slaved away doing makeup on the others as well.

Thankfully one of Samuel's friends — a girl who was a year older than him, who he had met in the shared 6th and 7th grade dance class — could do makeup on others, offered to help us with makeup and was currently calmly working on Samuel's face. "Next!" Seungkwan called and a split second later Samuel's friend called out as well.

"Seven down boys! Three more and then you can do yourselves and we can get some of these boys to do your hair. Next please!" She called out and I huffed. Doing Soonyoung's makeup was easy and fast because he's a dancer and is used to makeup, but Wonwoo, whose makeup I was currently doing, was being a pain.

You'd think that because Wonwoo was as still as a statue half the time he'd be an easy person to do makeup on and for the most part he was easy, but he wouldn't stop flinching every time I tried to do his eyeliner, which is extremely irritating.

"Wonwoo. My stunning dongsaeng. You need to stop flinching every time I try to touch you with the eyeliner or I will literally stab you in the eye with it and it may or may not be on purpose." I deadpanned and Wonwoo's eyes widened in fear. "Holy hell Soonyoung was right all that time ago. Both you and Minghao are terrifying." He whispered, barely audible.

"Gēge, you're scaring him. Let me take over with his eyeliner. You do Jihoonie-hyung because he won't let me do his eyeliner." I looked at Minghao in relief and hurried over to where Jihoon, who had recently dyed his hair pink, was pouting and looking up at the ceiling while cross-eyed. "Lee Jihoon. Don't zone out now, we're competing in like two hours. Let's get your eyeliner done and hopefully it won't end with you trying to bite my hand off."

He huffed but obliged, staying still enough for me to do his eyeliner and only barely looking like he was going to murder me in my sleep. "See, it's not that hard. Now you're done and you can do whatever you need to do." He stood up and fled the room. "Next!" Both me and Minghao called out, within seconds of each other. We smiled at each other as we swapped back to the stations with our own makeup supplies.

When nobody sat down I frowned and looked around and realised something. "There's nobody left. Move on to your own makeup once you're done with this last person!" I called out and sat down in the chair, starting to do my own makeup. "I'll do your hair for you hyung. Tell me if you need me to stop momentarily so you can do something like eyeliner." I nodded appreciatively at Mingyu as he picked up a comb, hair gel and hairspray.

"What do you want done?" He asked me. I looked up and bit my lip in thought. "You see how Xiao HaoHao is doing his hair? Not like that. I don't want to be like a coconut but I don't want my fringe like that." He nodded somewhat in understanding and started combing gel through my hair, styling it as I continued doing my makeup, working on simple eyeshadow that was barely noticeable, but necessary to make me look good.

"Doing eyeliner now 'Gyu." I muttered and he stopped for me to do my eyeliner. I leaned in towards the mirror and did my eyeliner quickly but skilfully, thankfully not messing up. I sat back down and Mingyu immediately resumed doing my hair. "Not too long left hyung." He muttered, and then, "Cover your face hyung, I'm hairspraying." And I hurriedly covered my face from just above my eyebrows with my hands and held my breath as he sprayed my hair with the death spray.

"I'm sorry for swearing a lot in just a second Mingyu, but I fucking hate hairspray with a fucking passion. A burning fucking hatred." I muttered and coughed when some of the hairspray got in my mouth and airways. "Fuck that. Wait what the fuck why does that not smell like shit? Where did you get that?" Mingyu was silent for a few seconds before he responded. "I borrowed it off Jeonghan-hyung, ask him."

I sighed when he said that. "Of course it's Jeonghan-hyung's. He has the best hair supplies I swear. He takes care of his hair so well because it's long. I mean seriously, I've seen Jisoo-hyung take like 20 minutes straightening his hair for him with a hairdryer and brush because he didn't want to damage it with straighteners. I don't even spend two minutes on my hair half the time." Mingyu hummed in agreement. "You're done hyung." I looked at my hair and nodded in satisfaction. "Thank you. You've done a good job Mingyu. I'm impressed." He smiled at me, bowed to say thank you and walked away as I stood up and packed away my makeup supplies.

"Is everyone done? We need to go warm up and practice like right now while the room is empty." Seungcheol asked and all but Jeonghan and Minghao replied with a variation of "Yes!" I bit my lip and headed over to Minghao. "Do you want help, Xiao HaoHao?" I asked hesitantly, knowing how he sometimes verbally attacked people when they irritated him while he was doing his makeup for dance performances.

"Please. I'm just doing my eyeliner but I need to do my lips and Cheollie-hyung wants us done now." I nodded in understanding and rushed forward, grabbing the lip tint Minghao had sitting right next to his makeup bag and bending down slightly so I could stay out of Minghao's way while I applied the colour. I carefully filled in his soft, (still) extremely kissable lips with the tint and once I was done with that, I started packing away Minghao's makeup supplies.

The way he smiled at me and thanked me with those tinted lips of his made me want to jump off a cliff.

I hate feelings.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HEHEHE GUESS WHATS STARTING TO HAPPEN MY DUDES.
> 
> ALSO IM DYING BC OF AAN ASSIGNMENT I SLAVED OVER FOR TWOWEEKS STRAIGHT


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hell breaks loose but everything turns out fine.

"This is fine." I muttered to myself as I watched the chaos that was unfolding in the green room.

For some reason, Jihoon had recently started screaming random words for no reason and half of our group were trying to get him to stop screaming before he lost his voice right before we were going to perform. Although, half of said people were screaming at him, which wasn't good for their voices either. "Do something Soonyoung god dammit!" Seungcheol shouted and the aforementioned boy looked at him from where he had been practicing our dances over and over again, so nervous that he was completely ignoring everyone.

He looked over at his boyfriend with a blank, soulless look before he continued dancing. "Soonyoung stop practicing the damn dances over and over again otherwise you'll forget them dammit you know this actually happens to people! Calm down your damn boyfriend if you actually want to do something to keep your mind off of this!" I shouted at him and he froze, actually starting to listen.

"Soonyoung you are our performance leader. You, if anyone, need to be the calmest here. It doesn't matter what age anyone is in this group, they all look up to you because you're our choreographer. You've made most of these people — both younger and older — coordinated enough to dance not just one, but three routines without running into each other and breaking bones. For gods sake Samuel is calmer than you right now and he's 11!" Soonyoung looked over to said boy who was calmly plaiting Jeonghan's hair and then taking out said plait only to do it again, talking to the mother figure of our group with an enthusiastic smile.

"Oh..." Soonyoung muttered in realisation before brightening just the slightest. "You're right, thanks for making me realise that Junnie-hyung. I do need to calm the fuck down." I opened my mouth to protest against his word choice but sighed as he walked away, going to his boyfriend and kissing him instead of trying to talk to him and calm him down. I gestured to them and tried to vocalise my annoyance at how Soonyoung coped with Jihoon, but no words came out. Minghao just looked at me sympathetically and nodded in understanding.

"Jihoonie! You need to be calm~ We'll do very good!" I sighed at how overzealous Soonyoung was even though I had literally just yelled at him. "Boys, come on, you're up soon. We've got to get you geared up." Almost simultaneously, all 14 of us turned our heads to face the person (who visibly shuddered due to us turning in unison) and then we all stood up and followed them. It took about five minutes for the staff to gear us up and then they took us to the side of the stage, where we could see the group before us performing.

There were only four people in the group before us, they were all girls and they were a mess (and that was being polite about it). They looked like they hadn't prepared at all and kept on messing up their words, as if they weren't even fluent in speaking Korean. But, they didn't seem to care at all about their messed up singing, which was all that really mattered because they seemed to be enjoying themselves and excelling with their dancing.

Soon the girls finished and I could see the happiness in their smiles as they came off stage and once they had their microphones turned off, they started laughing loudly. "That was so much fun. We're not going to get anywhere but it was so worth it." One of them said. Once they noticed us, their jaws dropped. "Damn boys, you're all so attractive. You look really professional, I just thought you all should know that I thought you were actually debuted idols for a second." That same girl added upon snapping out of her speechlessness.

"Thank you, we really appreciate that. But we are anything but professional. Our youngest, Samuel-ah here, is 11. We're too young to be professional yet." They all looked over at Samuel after Seungcheol's response and I could practically see them shooting hearts at him from their eyes. "He's so cute! Is he multicultural, by any chance?" Another asked. Seungcheol nodded. "Yeah, Samuel here is half Mexican. And then we have Junhui and Minghao who are Chinese and Hansol who is half American." The girls looked amazed at this.

They looked like they wanted to say more but the looks that the staff were giving them made them start to leave. "We need to talk after you perform. Come find us. We'll probably be in the viewing room." We were ushered away before we could respond and once they turned the lights back down we hurried onstage and got into position, myself standing in the middle of all of us. Through the headpiece I heard the staff counting down our cue while we were being announced " ** _Seventeen_**." and then when the music started, I started, whispering my line perfectly on my cue. " _Slip into the diamond life oh!_ "

There was a stunned silence for a bit, but then the cheering started as I continued with my lines and the dancing started. Samuel continued after me with his lines whilst Hansol came in for his first rap part. ( **Samuel's part is** **normally Mingyus but let's not mention that bc Sammy needed lines** ) When it came to the part of the dance during the chorus where the most people messed up, I subconsciously looked around and grinned when I noticed that nobody messed up.

We moved into our line for the second lot of the 'slip into the diamond life' line where it was now Minghao's and I watched him from my position two people over with a smile on my face. He was in his element, performing front and centre stage, where _I_ believed he belonged. My smile just grew even more because he didn't even look like he had been so sick that he was bedridden for weeks. I almost forgot to move into my next line because of how happy I was, but a look from Minghao when he moved to his position next to me after his line snapped me out of my own world and back into reality.

Soon after, we had finished 'Shining Diamond' and moved into our positions for the song we had called 'Adore U'. Jihoon had sped up the beat of the original version we had listened to in Minghao's room all those weeks ago and it worked perfectly. I laughed inwardly when I realised I had one of the first lines for this song as well and prepared myself for more whispering.

"Ayo, ayo." Seungcheol began from between Minghao and Hansol. " _Seventeen_." Minghao chimed in time with the backing track. "Yup!" Hansol began his line after Seungcheol had finished his. "Uh-huh, you know what." The three of them separated for me to start my line. " _Yojeummarya naegamarya saenggagi manha_." I could practically feel Jeonghan breathing on me as he got close to me and I felt Seungkwan put his hands on my shoulders, both as choreographed.

Mingyu however... I felt the side of his hand collide with my head and heard him mutter a quiet 'oh' that wasn't picked up by the microphone. Controlling the laughter that was trying to escape, I moved to my next position and shot the younger boy a look, followed by a small smile when he looked back at me in concern after he said his line, right before we went down on the floor.

The rest of that song went smoothly, thankfully, and we all performed well. When we went on to the floor at the very end of the song, the lights dimmed so that nobody could see us moving to the starting positions for 'Fast Pace'. When I reached my position, I noticed that Seokmin, who was in front of me in the line that we were in, looked exhausted but he still smiled with the brightness of thousands of suns.

I let out a slow breath as I prepared myself for mine and Jeonghan's mirroring section. And then the song started and we walked in towards Wonwoo where we would then be in a V formation and slowly rose our arms. " _You're going too fast baby. I don't know what's wrong baby. You're going too fast baby. Uh uh, listen_." Wonwoo's deep voice was the first one heard in this song and it was extremely fitting, this type of song was one his voice fitted with well - whether he was singing or rapping.

Next it was Soonyoung who sang his lines, this was the time where Jeonghan and I mirrored each other. I tried my hardest to stay straight faced, but both Jeonghan and myself found ourselves smiling slightly at each other but thankfully, not laughing. I normally never pay attention to the lyrics in Soonyoung's part, because I don't want to get distracted and bump into Jeonghan. (It has happened once, although I'm sure it was because Jeonghan wasn't paying attention either) We did the entire phrase of choreography successfully without laughing or bumping into each other and I had a small, smug smirk on my face because of that.

The rest of the song was a blur and I only remember the end of the song, during my final set of lines, where I was at the centre, " _Going we're going_ ," I sang and looked to the left side of me, one by one, everyone on that side was making the hand gesture of '17' that we had come up with, one by one, " _Neowa na duri._ " Soonyoung's voice from my right made me turn to look at them on that side as I started my next part of my line, " _Going we're going_ ," I was amazed to see that this almost looked like it was planned.

" _Ireoke duri._ " Samuel continued from my left and I looked back over and realised they were just about to reach me." _Going we're going_ ," I made the hand gesture and looked to the right in time to see Minghao make the gesture. Seokmin's high note ad-lib while Jeonghan sung the, " _Ooh uh_." part honestly made me want to cry because although he's good — no, good is an understatement — with high notes, he was right next to me when he did this one and high notes really hurt the ears. " _Neowa na ireoke duriseo uh_." Minghao sang and I sighed before smirking and cocking my head as I sang the last line of the song. " _Going we're going_."

The stage lights turned off and there were cheers, screaming and wolf whistles from in the audience as we made our way off the stage. I was amazed at how I felt like we actually were a professional kpop group after I stepped off the stage. As I looked at my friends who were all breathless, but nevertheless smiling, cheering and hugging each other, I smiled to myself and whispered. "This is fine."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm- *eternal screeching*


	16. Chapter 16

"Oh my god this has actually happened. I feel so important. I feel loved!" Seungkwan exclaimed as the staff members were carefully taking the earpieces and the headset microphones off us and he missed the hurt look that Hansol gave him. I winced at that because the two of them had both been pining for each other for as long as I've known them but they still didn't know each other's feelings.

"Let's go back to our dressing room and then go to the viewing room, yeah?" Seungcheol suggested and there were murmured agreements. I saw Minghao walking ahead of me and ran to catch up with him. " _Xiao HaoHao_! _We did it! I feel so alive! It feels like we are an actual kpop group!_ " I vented and he smiled at me before responding.

" _I know, right! Remember how my dream has been to be a kpop idol for so long? It actually felt like I have a chance to fulfil that dream after this_." I smiled back at him, a full-blown smile. " _Yeah I remember that. We had the same dream, remember, we both moved over here to fulfil those dreams of ours and our parents didn't want to separate us so they found houses right next to each other even though it was quite expensive to do so_."

Minghao laughed at that and then made a tsking sound, "Yeah I remember how we both moved over here. We were on the same flight. And because you're a little _shit_ you gave up your acting contract so you could move to Korea." I heard a screech from behind us and turned to see what was wrong and saw Seungkwan with his jaw halfway to the floor. "What? How? You were an actor? Why would you give up acting?" He shrieked at me.

I turned to look at Minghao with narrowed eyes. " _Don't you dare_." I hissed and he smirked back at me. " _Oh I will dare_." I glared at him. " _I will murder you in your sleep if you show any of them those photos_." I threatened and he outright laughed in my face. " _I hate you so much_." I muttered with a groan and he smiled sweetly at me. " _No you don't~ you love me~_ " he insisted and I sighed and muttered under my breath, " _I don't even know what feelings are anymore_." Before I was poked on my cheek by Minghao who was looking at me with an innocent facial expression.

" _What was that, Gēge?_ " He asked, batting his eyelashes. With the makeup on, it made that simple move look more sexual than he probably intended and I honestly just wanted to kiss him to get him to shut up because he was smug because he knew that he was beating me. " _I said that I hate my life and I want to jump off a cliff_." I deadpanned and Minghao started laughing at my dry tone, knowing that I said that with no real intention to actually jump off a cliff.

"What the everloving fuck are you two talking about? We aren't fluent in Mandarin unlike you." Jihoon asked from further behind us. I heard Jeonghan almost start to choke "Lee Jihoon watch your language! Samuel is 11, don't forget that! If I hear one more curse word come from your mouth then I will make sure that you will disappear and nobody will remember that you even existed." He threatened and I took a deep breath before responding to Jihoon, being cautious of Jeonghan. "We were confessing our undying love towards each other." I replied sarcastically.   
( **Yo I just remembered that Samuel is 11 in this. You know what else is 11? Wanna One. Hahaha I'm going to stab somebody.)**

Minghao laughed again and I could physically feel Jihoon's glare on the two of us, which almost caused me to raise my hands in surrender. "Well it was clearly nothing about any of us because they didn't say any of our names so I'd appreciate it if you stopped threatening them, hyung, I'm tired and I have a headache-" Chan didn't even get to continue his sentence before Jeonghan was fussing over him like a mother hen.

"Alright boys, before we go anywhere we are cleaning up this mess of a dressing room. How did we even let it get this way?" Seungcheol looked at the mess that was our dressing room. "Well at least I know I cleaned." I announced, gesturing to my area. "Well... If I had a bit more time then I would've?" Minghao laughed slightly as he pointed at his area. "I'll help you, _Xiao HaoHao_." I offered with a smile and Minghao nodded firmly and linked arms with me, leading me over to his area.

" _Gēge_... _Did you somehow get my lip tint on the mirror?"_  
 _"....Noooooo?"_  
 _"I can't believe you've done this. Actually I can, you're a strange person so it makes sense."_  
 _"I didn't do it if I can't see it."_  
 _"Turn. Look at it. Claim it as your problem!"_  
 _"Nu-uh! Not mine! I'm not moving!"_  
 _"Are you sure you're the older one of the two of us?"_  
 _"Yeah! I'm older and more mature!"_  
 _"No way! I'm more mature than you!"_  
 _"Pfft what sort of a joke was that? That was funny Xiao Hao."_  
 _"And who was the one who was pretending their hands were a defibrillator when all we were doing was sitting at the dinner table?"_  
 _"Shut the heck up I was saving my own life."_  
 _"What."_  
 _"What?"_  
 _"What?"_  
 _"Nothing."_

"Are you two alright there? Everyone else has finished cleaning their areas while you were arguing over whatever." Seungcheol sounded amused as he looked over at us. "It's not my fault there's lip tint on the mirror." I responded and he rose an eyebrow "What?" He asked, sounding confused "Nothing." I spoke quickly.

"You two can stay back until you finish." He finished, walking away and Minghao huffed in response. " _Gēge this is on you. You gotta accept the lip tint as your responsibility_." I pouted and then sighed. " _It's not even the colour I put on you Xiao Hao_." I retorted. " _But I'm going to be mature and clean it anyway_."

Minghao made a sound akin to choking and looked at me with a glare once he recovered. " _I cannot believe you, are you actually serious? This could've been over with earlier yet you insisted on- you know what, you're not even listening. I'm so done_." I quietly laughed to myself as I wiped the pink substance off the mirror but squeaked as I felt hands poking and grasping at my sides and writhed trying to get out of their grip.

" _You're so evil I swear I hate you_." I whined and he laughed. Within approximately 15 minutes with few, minor distractions — also known as me pushing Minghao onto the ground, sitting on his stomach and preventing him from moving as I rolled his sleeves up and drew on his arms with liquid eyeliner that was an unnecessarily bright shade of blue, Minghao trying to put lip tint on my eyes in place of eyeshadow (and giving up on that attempt soon after because I was not letting him get near my eyes with it) and then successfully applying black lipstick onto my lips (and also onto my cheek) whilst closing his eyes — we finished cleaning up (including ourselves, however, Minghao kept my masterpiece on his arms and just rolled the sleeves back down with a soft smile on his face) and made our way to the viewing room, laughing about things from the performance.

When we walked into the viewing room, almost everyone stopped to stare at us. "Holy fuck you're hot." One of the girls from the that group before us said to me, her jaw dropping in shock now that she saw me in decent lighting. "I'm as straight as a circle." I retorted in the same tone of voice as she had spoken in and Minghao giggled slightly from next to me, which made my face light up with a smile. "I'm a-fucking-sexual so good for you. But why the hell are you so aesthetic?" She practically screeched in confusion and I shrugged. I almost missed how Seungcheol's eyes glinted almost evilly looking at me and Minghao but when I did I glared at him. He just laughed.

"What were you two doing that took you so long to come back? He asked, a sly smirk on his face.  
" _He was fucking me senseless and afterwards were murdering all of the fucking staff_." Minghao suggested in Mandarin with a sarcastic tone and a deadpan look and I almost choked at that. "What did he say?" I sighed deeply and pinched the bridge of my nose. " _For fucks_ \- _I give up_. This rudeass tickled me and then it was a war. Minghao even has scars." Minghao giggled again and pulled his sleeves up to show just the tiniest inkling of the blue marks on his skin.

"You two are like children when you're alone together I swear. How did you two even date?" I looked at Minghao, confused, who looked back at me also in confusion at Jihoon's words. "I dunno." I shrugged as Minghao said that and Jihoon just sighed in response. "Aww you must've been such couple goals. Especially if you're such good friends still." The same girl who called me hot cooed and I momentarily looked at her in concern.

About 15 minutes later, ( **bc this was dragging and I need to finish the chapter lmao I know I'm lazy** ) we all went on stage for the presentations. I hadn't realised how many people were actually there until I was standing on stage with the rest of my friends and waiting nervously. I was zoning out, practically deaf to everything due to my nerves as they called out those who passed into the next round. ( **This is how I feel every time I'm waiting for results for my solo routines at dance comps** )

"Seventeen." There was silence momentarily before my friends who were all around me started screaming in excitement and happiness. I blinked in confusion and started clapping but I was shaken out of my confused state by Minghao, " _Gēge that's us! Why are you clapping?_ " I blinked again but then realised what he was saying, "Oh yeah that is us, isn't it?" I muttered but then started grinning when it started to set in that we were through to the next round.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorta shitty ending   
> That last bit was actually written based on me during presentations for one of my solos in the last competitions I was in
> 
> I NEED TO ADD THAT HOLY FUCK CLAP IS THE BOP OF THE CENTURY   
> ALSO HELLO AND ALSO LILILI YABBAY HAVE ME IN TEARS THEYRE SUCH BOPS AND I WANT TO LISTEN TO THE,M EVERY DAY FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE
> 
> ALSO WITHOUT YOU/WEARING A HAT IS AMAZING AND I LOVE IT


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tw: homophobic slur, minor racism

A few people at our school who knew about the competition had come up to us during the break hours and congratulated us on progressing to the next round and it was refreshing, having people actually talk to us rather than avoiding our loud, diverse group like we had the plague.

"HANNIE, MY SWEET SUMMER CHILD!" I heard a familiar voice that didn't belong to our group shout from the entry to the cafeteria and covered my mouth to stifle my laughter as Jeonghan's eyes widened almost in fear. Minghao frowned in confusion and turned to me but I just shook my head and told him to wait.

Jeonghan shrunk into himself slightly and a body barrelled into him, effectively throwing the both of them to the ground. "Oi! Choi Minki I'd appreciate it if you didn't break my boyfriend." Seungcheol complained. I stood up and looked over the table to see exactly what I thought was happening. A boy who had tackled Jeonghan to the ground also had relatively long hair and was kissing him all over the face - everywhere but his lips, knowing that if he did that, Seungcheol would probably kill him depending on his mood - and Jeonghan was laughing uncontrollably because of it. I momentarily looked over at Minghao and he side eyed me with a confused look and I laughed at his confusion.

The boy looked up with a big grin on his face and when he saw me looking at the two of them, the grin seemed to widen. "Huihui! My ray of sun." My eyes widened and I backed away slightly as he stood and went for me. "Hyung no!" I cried and the boy ignored me and wrapped his arms around me in a tight hug, kissing me on my cheeks and forehead. "Ooh who's this?" He asked and I knew he was talking about Minghao. I struggled against his death grip for a bit longer before I managed to free myself and stood by Minghao, who looked vaguely terrified. "Hyung, this is Xu Minghao, my best friend. Xiao Hao this hyung is Choi Minki. He's Jeonghannie-hyung's childhood friend. They're practically twins."

"Well, its nice to meet you, Minghao, but I need to go." The way he said his name was strange so I cringed and covered his mouth. "Please hyung, until you get used to saying his name just call him Myungho, that's his Korean name and it sounds similar enough." Minki nodded in understanding and grinned, "Hello and goodbye Cheol-ah, Jisoo, Muellie and Chan! I must go now! Oh! I almost forgot! Congratulations to you all for moving on in the competition." And just like that, he was gone again.

"What the heck just happened?" Minghao asked, "You know what I don't want to know. I'll be back." He pushed his chair back under the table and put his bag on it, leaving while shaking his head with a slight smile. "Minki-hyung is such a strange person." Chan muttered. "Hey, do any of you know if Jihoon and Soonyoung hyungs are in the music room that Jihoon-hyung has been recording in?" He added and I shrugged whilst sitting back down in my seat.

There was a moment where I shuddered suddenly in unease because I felt that something was about to happen and I looked at the time on my phone and saw that Minghao had been gone for about five minutes now. Ironically enough, shortly after I put my phone back down I felt it start to vibrate, moments before Minghao's personalised ringtone started playing — It was from when Minghao and myself were dating still, it was of Minghao singing our favourite love song and I never had the heart to change it. — " _What's up Xiao HaoHao?_ " I asked.

" _I have a feeling something is about to happen and I want you to watch over whatever happens. Can you bring my bag and come to me? I'm near the bathrooms in the year 10 dominated area_." I nodded, then remembered he couldn't hear me. " _Okay, I'll be there soon Xiao Hao_."

I stood up and picked up Minghao's bag after slinging mine over my shoulder. "Hey, Minghao asked me to go to him so I'm leaving now. I'll talk to you all later." I bowed slightly and left towards where Minghao said he was.

"Hey Xiao." I greeted when I saw him. He smiled at me when he noticed that I had joined him. "Don't move from where you are _Gēge. Whatever is about to happen, I can deal with it and I only want you to step in if it looks like the odds are not in my favour._ " I nodded in understanding and stopped, stepping back around the corner, thankfully being able to see what was happening. Seconds later, a group of people approached him. All of them looked like sketchy people and majority of them had cruel looking smirks on their faces.

I'd heard of these boys, they always tried to intimidate boys who had joined the tenth grade to either join them or get out of the school. Key word being tried. They really weren't intimidating enough to scare someone off and they certainly wouldn't intimidate Minghao (who had heard about them from Chan -a boy the same age as Minghao who was raised in Australia for most of his life but moved here when he was a 8th grader- who'd witnessed them trying to intimidate someone and told us that he was trying not to laugh because the leader got kneed in the stomach by the new kid). I knew that they had been waiting for Minghao to return to school to use their initiation method on him.

They surrounded him and the leader of them started speaking. "What do we have here? A new kid? We have someone new to initiate, boys. This is our school and we don't like new people coming in." I tried not to laugh out loud because of all of the lies that were coming out of the boys mouth, but I was definitely struggling.

Minghao, much like I would, decided to improvise and I saw him slip into a facade of mock confusion. I knew exactly what he was planning at this point. He was making use of the acting skills I had taught him. I know I had made an assumption as to what he was going to do, but when he spoke in Mandarin in response and started cursing out the boys, I had to bite the inside of my mouth to stop laughing.

"Oi are you dumb? Why are you here if you can't even speak Korean. Go back to China you fucking fag." Minghao didn't even flinch even though I could tell he was pissed off by the slur and instead continued cursing at him, smoothly transitioning from Mandarin curses to long sentences in Korean. The look on the faces of the boys was hilarious and I couldn't stop myself from barking out a laugh.

"Oi! Who's there?" I stepped out from behind the wall and almost laughed harder at the look of betrayal on his face. " _Gēge, I said don't step in!_ " I bit my bottom lip, trying to control myself.

" _I was just laughing Xiao Hao. I'm not going to do anything_." The leader narrowed his eyes. "You're a Chinese fag as well, are you?" I rose an eyebrow at him and barely moved my eyes to look between an amused Minghao and an irritated group that probably calls themselves a gang unironically.

"We're gonna beat up this kid and we'll make you watch us do it." I bit my lip again, my laughter bubbling up. "Why are you laughing, asshole? Do you not care that this kid is about to get beat up?" I called out to Minghao again.

" _Xiao Hao!_ Make them regret trying to pick on you, who is a national champion at wushu." Minghao rolled his eyes at me. " _I was champion when I was eight shut the fuck up_." I laughed at him. " _But they don't know that~_!" I singsonged and he laughed slightly at that.  
  


Minghao managed to get all of them on the floor and writhing in pain within a few minutes, leaving no evidence of him hurting them, and I didn't even have to move. "That, boys, is why you don't mess with us. I'm surprised you don't know who we are. We're only part of the most well known group of boys in this school." The leader looked up at Minghao and myself. My arm casually and naturally slung around Minghao's waist while he crossed his arms, looking down at them. "Who do you- You are part of Choi Seungcheol-sunbae's group." I smirked at him.

"We certainly are. Don't mess with us or you'll come to regret it." I called out and left with Minghao. Once we were out of the hearing range and line of sight of the group, we almost keeled over because of how hard we started laughing. " _Don't mess with us or you'll come to regret it_." Minghao mocked me, tears in his eyes. " _Don't mess with me or I'll make you regret it_." I retorted and waggled my eyebrows, which caused a whole new wave of laughter to overtake Minghao. I looked at the boy who was laughing on the floor and felt warmth spread in my chest at the sight of him so happy.

Without realising it, I was starting to fall again, and I was falling fast.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Minki is finally here as the childhood friend/practically adopted brother of Jeonghan who has a soft spot for Jun (Bc Jun yes)
> 
> Also I'm sorry I didnt update yesterday I had to study for my last exam which was today


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Preparations for round two commence!~

"Seungcheol the mirror has wheels for a reason!" Jeonghan screeched at his boyfriend, who had offered to help move the mirrors out of the storage room and was seen struggling to carry one out. He was holding it on the outsides, stretching his arms as far as he could, rather than simply manoeuvring it using the wheels on the bottom. I snickered at that and continued pushing the mirror I was moving out and across the floor to where we normally set the mirrors.

"Actually no, let's put them somewhere different today." Soonyoung insisted and Minghao, ever the perfectionist — he had been straightening the mirror he'd put in place and making sure it was equal with the line where the floorboards met — glared at Soonyoung and cursed at him in Mandarin, to prevent from getting yelled at for swearing by Jeonghan, who was overseeing the entire process of setting up the room for our brainstorm and first choreography session for the new group song with an eagle eye.

I laughed at Minghao and moved my mirror to the side of the room where Soonyoung had told us to move the mirrors, the others following. Seokmin — who had been trying to use the mirror almost like a skateboard when making his way over by standing on top of the wheels — started moving in a diagonal rather than staying straight, fell off and down to the floor and narrowly missed getting hit by the falling mirror. I winced as I heard him and the mirror fall but sighed with relief when I saw that there was no damage done to anything.

The sound of his body and the mirror impacting the ground immediately got Jisoo and Jeonghan to react and they both rushed over to Seokmin, stood the mirror up and fussed over him, checking him for injuries. "Hyungs, I'm fine. I'm not five." He insisted, pushing their hands away from him and standing up with no difficulty. "Be careful next time." Jisoo insisted and Seokmin rolled his eyes, but it was clear he was loving the caring nature of the two older boys due to the smile on his face when he put the mirror in place, moving it safely this time.

Seungkwan, who was also helping with the mirrors, was laughing loudly at his friend and almost ran into Wonwoo, but was redirected last second by Hansol, who had noticed that Seungkwan was distracted. Hansol quietly scolded Seungkwan as the two of them moved the mirror Seungkwan had. Once the mirrors were lined up, we gathered around Seungcheol, who looked excited.

"My friends, this round is our subunit round so between Jihoon, Soonyoung and myself, we've split you up into your specialities and we will be the leaders of these subunits. Wonwoo, Mingyu, Hansol, you're with me. We're the hip hop team." I nodded, knowing that they were indeed our best rappers, however, I was slightly confused that Chan wasn't in that group as he was also a great rapper.

"Hannie, Jisoo, Seokmin and Seungkwan, you're with Jihoon, you're our vocal team. That leaves Junhui, Minghao, Chan and Muellie with Soonyoung. You're our performance team. Our best dancers." I smiled at that, now understanding why Chan wasn't in the hip hop team. I went up close to Minghao, who was still straightening his mirror and grinned at him. "I guess you're stuck with me still." He faked a groan at that.

"Okay, so we each have backing tracks for the song for each unit. You all need to discuss lyric ideas with your groups and once you have something figured out, start writing." I grabbed Minghao's arm and dragged him away from the mirror which he was struggling to line up and to the other three. " _I will rip your head off you piece of trash. I was so close to getting it perfect!_ "

I just rolled my eyes in response to him overdramatising his threat. " _It looks perfectly fine, Xiao Hao. The only thing wrong with the mirrors is the fact that the ones that Seungkwan and Seokmin put in line weren't completely straight and we can fix that_." He looked back at the mirrors and sighed, allowing me to drag him without more struggle.

"My boys, let me just express to you, my love for our song. It's amazing and once we write lyrics it'll be even better." Soonyoung gushed like a fangirl (or fanboy) crying over their favourite group. I just rolled my eyes and smiled fondly at the boy. "We all know it's because your boyfriend wrote it and you love your boyfriend and everything he does." Soonyoung tried to protest but instead looked at me through narrowed eyes.

"I want to say that you're wrong but you're really not wrong at all. I really do love my boyfriend and his music. But, I must admit, it is a very lit song." I cringed at the use of lit and Minghao grinned at that. "So, here is our song so far." He pulled up a track on his phone's music app and turned it up loud enough for the remaining four of us to be able to hear it. He was right. It was 'lit'.

Within fifteen minutes we had brainstormed ideas for the song and came up with our general concept, as well as a few of us suggesting some lines that could be used in the song. The best moment of that fifteen minutes was the way that Minghao's face lit up when Soonyoung agreed to him rapping in Mandarin, giving him a section of the song that would be just after the chorus. Him and myself worked together to write his rap and with the two of us working together it took about 10 minutes.

Soonyoung's reaction to the rap was priceless "That is going in this song. I don't care what anyone thinks. This is our song so we have every right to have you rap in Mandarin." He stated in a no-questions-asked tone. It was clear he wasn't going to change his mind and I was glad for that because the look of happiness on Minghao's face meant everything to me.

Within a few hours we had the lyrics mostly completed and we gave them to Jihoon to revise, criticise and help tie them together. While he was doing that, we started on our dance. We worked on it for a a while and then we started working on the choreography for our group song for the second round, which was a song that we worked on and recorded before the first round of the competition had even occurred. It was called 'Pretty U'. We ended up leaving the room at the end of the allocated time for practice with over half of the routine having been learned by all of us successfully.

It was an all round success and as Minghao and myself walked home, enjoying the ice cream I had decided to treat us to and swinging our intertwined hands between our bodies, I felt strangely content.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a cute chapter~ 
> 
> IM SO FUCKIGN SOFT FOR JUN SAVE ME


	19. Chapter 19

I didn't even bother leaving a note. I hadn't done so for about five years now.

I slipped my phone between my bare hip and my pants, the waistband of the pants keeping it there as I climbed out of my window, grabbing my house keys from my windowsill and closing said window once I was outside. I moved the step ladder from its place by the back door and used it to climb over the fence dividing the properties of my house and the one next door.

The window was open, as expected, and a soft smile grew on my face as I climbed through the window. He was asleep, but from the frown on his face, it wasn't a very pleasant sleep and I had a feeling that he wasn't going to stay asleep for very long. I put my phone and keys on the desk, closed the window and crawled into the bed, laying on my side and getting extremely close to him.

Minghao, sensing the warmth radiating from my body, curled up against me, his head buried in my chest. I put an arm over him, almost protectively, and tangled our legs. " _Gēge_." Minghao whispered in his sleep, subconsciously recognising me by the way I laid when we were sleeping together. I smiled softly and kissed the top of his head before slowly drifting off into sleep.

**Y'all it's a dream scene :O there's a bit of foreshadowing but only some of it is actually gonna happen I can't wait to see which ones you all think are going to happen**

As soon as I saw where I was, I knew I was dreaming. It was a place I hadn't seen in four years, yet could recognise instantly. It was Shenzhen. It was home.

I could feel a slight pressure on my hand and I looked down and noticed that my hand was interlocked with someone else's. I looked to see who the person was but couldn't see a face because it was covered with a face mask and a hat. What I noticed was short, bright red hair that was visible when I looked at the side of their head, too short to belong to a female (but why would my significant other be a female if I'm as straight as a circle?). When they spoke, their voice was somewhat distorted, almost as if to confuse me, yet I could recognise the way of speaking, it was one I grew up with.

" _Gēge, I can't believe we finally made it_." Minghao spoke. I was confused, what did we make? When was this? But my dream self spoke for me. " _I know, it feels like just yesterday when we signed_." Signed what?

" _I can't believe that back then we actually tho_ -" the rest of his sentence was severely distorted and I tried to strain my ears to hear him, but I couldn't as the scene changed. Minghao and myself were holding hands and a voice I hadn't heard since we lived in Shenzhen spoke from behind us. It was one of Minghao and I's friends that we had made other than each other. We may have separated before any of us went through puberty but his voice was still recognisable.

" _I'm so happy for you two. You wouldn't believe me, but at one point my mother actually thought you two were dating when we were like 10. Like seriously that's how long you two have been gay for each other_." I laughed, and so did Minghao and dream me. It really wasn't surprising that he said that. Even if this was just a dream and we didn't see MingMing ever again, I could imagine him saying that.

The scene changed again, from the lightheartedness of the extremely realistic conversation with MingMing to a darker scene. I saw the small figure of someone being practically dragged away from me and who I assumed was my friends, due to all I could hear being the heartbroken sobbing of people around me.

The scene changed again and I could hear my own traumatised sobs. "His legs can't be paralysed. Take my legs. Take my whole body. Take my life if you need to. I'd do anything. I'd pay with everything I have ever owned in my life for him to walk again. I only have a broken leg he doesn't deserve to be paralysed." Dream me spoke rapidly, changing in and out of Korean, Mandarin and Cantonese in a frantic manner as both dream me and myself panicked more and more with each passing second.

Someone hugged dream me and I could practically feel the warmth, but dream me couldn't stop shaking as he sobbed hysterically. "He still has such a bright future ahead of him don't take his legs." Dream me pleaded. "How is he meant to walk down the aisle to me if his legs are paralysed?" Dream me asked quietly and I could feel myself start to cry.

Dream me stood in front of a bed, legs shaking." _Who are you?_ " The familiar voice asked and dream me fell to his knees. All I wanted to do was cry in a dark hole because it was feeling so real. "- _ge are you okay? Junnie-ge? GĒGE!_ " I was startled awake by Minghao and I sat up abruptly, almost hitting Minghao in the face with my shoulder.

" _Gēge, are you okay? I woke up and saw you were crying_." I looked back at my best friend and, upon remembering the dream's events, the dams in my eyes broke and tears started streaming down my face again. I lunged towards him and tackled him to his own bed as I hugged him tightly. " _Please don't ever leave I don't want you to get hurt. I don't want you to get sick anymore_." I shook my head along with my words and Minghao started to rake his hands through my hair, muttering soothing words to me.

" _Please don't leave me. I can't be alone I'm not suited for that_ _sort of_ _life I just want you in my life_." Minghao kissed me on the crown of my hair and hugged me tightly, " _I'm not letting go I promise. I care for you too much to leave_." He muttered reassuringly and I almost cried harder.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm dying bc I'm broke (I'm only Seventeen I only got a few dollars) and I want the season's greetings so bad ;~;
> 
> Also sorry this is a day late I fell asleep shortly after finishing the newest chapter yesterday.


	20. Chapter 20

Except for Jihoon and Jisoo, we were all sat in a circle, pieces of blank paper in front of all of us along with a coloured marker. Seungcheol sat between Jeonghan and Chan, staring down at his piece of paper as if he was searching for the answer to what life itself was. I fell against Minghao in shock and cursed in Cantonese when Seungcheol suddenly looked up. Minghao glared at me for my use of Cantonese, because even though I helped to teach him it, he still was unsure with it even at the best of times and he liked to know what I was saying.

" _I'm sorry Xiao Hao I was thinking in Cantonese_." I apologised, trying not to laugh at his cute pout, but I didn't move from his side, and he didn't prompt me to move either. "Okay, so Jihoon wants to write another song for the hell of it and he wants it to just be a special thing for only us, to not be shared with anyone. So that's why we're here now. I want you all to write down what you feel when you're around all of us as a group and also what you think of us in relation to yourself." He paused momentarily and looked at all of us, watching us nod in understanding.

"After that, using those words as inspiration, I suppose, I want you all to write some lyrics. After the lyric ideas are written and handed to Jihoon, then he'll call you in for recording. Him and Jisoo are currently writing the song so they may not be back before we finish writing ideas." I nodded and leaned more against Minghao, until I was in a more familiar, comfortable position, humming quietly as he slung his arm around my waist.

" _Gēge, anyone would think I'm the older one because of how clingy you are with me_." Minghao muttered quietly, the fond, teasing tone obvious in the way he spoke to me. " _Shh you're a baby around me as well_." I retorted. Minghao slapped my butt a few times in response. " _Come on Gēge. We've got to write right now_." He encouraged and I groaned.

" _But I want to sleep on you right now_." I whined, but sat up nonetheless and wrote a few words in the bright purple marker. 'Family' 'an organised mess' and I ended leaving the meeting with the lyrics " **Whatever happens, Just like always, we'll be together** " written on my paper. I had written those thinking of Minghao and myself and how, even though we broke off our relationship, we were still as close as we were before the relationship had started, if not closer.

**~•~**

" _Yao Mingming?_ " Minghao called out, his voice sounding almost scandalised. The aforementioned boy perked up upon hearing the voice of Minghao and whipped his head around, before fully turning around to face us. " _Is that Xu Minghao and Wen Junhui-gē that I see_?" Was the first thing we heard from him and I couldn't stop the grin that grew on my face. I dragged Minghao over to him (the others slowly followed and I almost forgot about them) and I saw his eyes light up.

" _Gēge, can you maybe chill?_ " Minghao laughed as he said this, clearly amused by my excitement. Mingming turned his head and then called out, "Ya Tae-hyung please stop for a bit." Another person who was a few steps in front of Mingming stopped and walked back to him, staring at us inquisitively. " _Junhui-gē. I'm glad you haven't changed that much. I see that you're still super clingy with Minghao_." I huffed in response.

" _I resent that statement Xiao Ming_." The boy looked at me with a piercing glare and I smirked at him. " _I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks that he's clingy_." Minghao intervened. Once we had reached our primary school best friend, we dragged him into a hug and I screamed in happiness. " _The three idiots are reunited after all these years_." Mingming muttered fondly.

"Jun? Hao? Who's this?" I pulled away from the hug and clutched my chest over my heart overdramatically when Seungcheol spoke, forgetting that we had been walking together in the first place. " _Ah fuck_." I turned to face the others. "Seungcheol-hyung, this is the best friend of Minghao and myself from before we moved here, Yao Mingming." Seungcheol's mouth made an O shape in surprise.

" _What are you doing here? I thought you were living in China_." I heard Minghao ask and I turned back around so I could listen intently to what Mingming was about to say. "I actually... I fell in love." I gasped overexaggeratedly and choked on air. " _Serves you right Gē. So I met Taebin last year when I was on holiday and we sorta fell in love so I moved here this year to be with him. And thankfully my parents were fine with this and let me board over here. I was planning to find you soon after I moved, but I forgot_."

I made a screeching sound that could probably rival Jeonghan's dying pterodactyl screech after he had finished his story. " _You were here on holiday and didn't tell us? We could've met up!_ " I saw the boy who was standing by Mingming recoil in shock because of how loud I was. " _Oh, is this him?_ " Minghao asked, noticing him as well.

" _Yeah, it is._  Tae-hyung, meet my old friends." The boy stepped forward and upon actually looking at him, I noticed he was quite attractive (although the way he styled his hair was... interesting...) and he also reminded me of Jeonghan. ( **I don't have any better pictures bc he deleted his original instagram account** )

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hhhhhhhhhh
> 
> Can anyone guess which song Jun's lyrics are from? I'll give a hint. It makes most Carats bawl their eyes out whenever they hear it.
> 
> ALSO YAOMING MY LOVE SUPPORT HIM ON MIXNINE
> 
> ALSO SUPPORT TAEBIN AND BLK!!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5s_DjeBv9B4  
> WATCH BLK'S DEBUT MV HERO PLS I LOVE THEM


	21. Chapter 21

" _Why are we doing this again_?" I tried to ask over Hansol's loud screech-singing and Seungkwan's attempted rapping to the Bigbang song. " _What? I can't hear you_." Minghao mockingly replied, smile blossoming on his face when I looked at him, unamused.

" _Because you two were tasked to get them together and then you decided to drag me here as well_.  _I had a date with Taebin and then Jun-gē said there was an emergency so I freaking bolted to your house and then you dragged me here_!" Mingming responded for Minghao, looking between two of us with an unamused glare, which made me snicker. " _The three idiots have been reunited so we must do stupid things together, such as getting Minghao's two oblivious friends together_."

" _You say that as if they're not your friends either_." Minghao looked at me with scorn and I just blinked at him. " _They were your friends first. I don't claim them when they are like this_." I put my hands up and looked at him with an innocent facial expression.

" _They would've been your friends from the start as well, if you had decided to go to the same school as me after we moved here and finished our tutoring for Korean_." Minghao retorted dryly. The glare he was giving me made me want to apologise to him for not going to the same school, but I held my ground and stayed strong.

" _I didn't want to go to a private school any more and you did. It's not my fault that you ended up with them as your friends instead of my great group of friends_." Minghao frowned at my extremely biased statement and instantly retorted.

" _Excuse me my friends are great_ -" Mingming cut Minghao off. " _Could you stop with your flirting for one day, please. I dealt with it for five years straight and I was glad when I had a few years of freedom_." My mouth opened and closed like a fish when it was out of the water. " _We weren't flirting_." Minghao defended himself and the dry look that Mingming shot him made him stop complaining instantly.

I turned my attention back to the reason we were sitting in a room listening to the awful karaoke. Seungkwan and Hansol. The two painfully oblivious boys were getting awfully close to each other while they were now singing a love song, extremely engaged in it and singing the most seriously I've ever heard them sing at karaoke.

I nudged the two Mings and gestured at the two boys who were singing. Minghao's eyes widened in anticipation. " _Fucking finally there is some progress_." He muttered. " _How are they not paying any attention to us_?" Mingming asked quietly and we all went silent as we tried to come up with a reason as to why they weren't reacting to us.

" _Maybe they're ignoring us because you two are both dumbasses_." I side-eyed Mingming in annoyance. " _Oi. I'm older than you, you piece of trash_." I retorted, looking at him blankly. Mingming chose that moment to blow a kiss at me and I then rolled my eyes so hard that after I let my eyes rest, the room spun because of the wave of dizziness that hit me.

" _You two are both idiots. We're speaking in Mandarin and you expect them to understand us?_ " Minghao stated dryly. He tilted his head and looked away — back towards Seungkwan and Hansol — when the singing stopped, but soon after, he covered his mouth with his hand and his eyes widened in shock. I turned my head and my jaw dropped as soon as I saw what was happening.

" _Out, out! Come on we've succeeded with what we were here to do, now let's abscond_." I hissed under my breath and guided the two 97 liners out to leave the two alone. Because Seungkwan and Hansol were kissing, rather aggressively at that. (And no, they wouldn't have done the dirty after we left, they're like 5. That's illegal.)  
  


" _Thanks for treating us Gēge_." Minghao cooed in a honey sweet voice, " _Yeah, thanks gēge_." Mingming copied mockingly. " _I hate you both_." I muttered under my breath with a moan as I slid into the booth.

What the two younger boys didn't see while they were chatting away in the booth of the ice cream parlour was my panicked call to my mother, asking for her to send money to my bank account. " _Xiao Hui why are you asking me for money? You're good with your money_." My exaggerated sigh had been loud. I had covered my mouth and looked around to make sure the two boys weren't noticing me calling my mother.

" _Mama. Xiao Ming and Xiao Haohao are expecting me to treat them and I don't want to go into my savings because I wanna go back to Shenzhen sooner rather than later. Please, mama_." It had taken her a few seconds to respond. "Fine, Xiao Hui. Don't expect for it to happen again. It should be there in a few seconds."

I had sighed in relief and paid for the two boys' ice creams. And that's how we ended up here, sitting in a booth in an ice cream parlour at 9pm and trying our hardest not to smother each other in ice cream in hopes of actually eating our ice creams for the first ice cream 'date' we had since we were 12 and 11.

But then again, smothering ice cream on each other was how we ended up being kicked out of the ice cream parlour, just like when we were younger. We just couldn't control ourselves whenever we had ice cream and we were together therefore we always, without fail, ended up being kicked out from whatever place we went to because of the mess we made. Not like we ever cared though.

" _Was it worth coming with us after all that?_ " I asked Mingming with a slight smirk. His eyes widened as he answered with the smallest twitch of the corners of his lips, telltale signs that he was lying. " _No-"_ Minghao cut him off before he could continue.

" _You're lying Mingmingie-gē. We haven't forgotten your habits of when you lie_." He huffed in response and retorted to Minghao's observation by shoving more ice cream on his face, which prompted Minghao to do the same. " _I'm surrounded by children_." I whispered under my breath.

" _What was that?_ " Minghao asked in a higher pitched voice, fluttering his eyelashes. To my luck, my phone rang at that time. I pulled it out and saw Seungkwan's contact on my screen. "Hey-" I was cut off by a sudden outburst by Seungkwan. "HYUNG WHERE DID YOU THREE GO? WE FINISHED THE SONG AND YOU WERE GONE WHAT ARE YOU DOIN _-_ "

I cut in and tried to speak over his yelling. "Don't lie, you two were kissing when we left, now tell me, are you in a relationship with each other now?" A silence and a bit of grumbling under his breath. "What if we are?" He muttered. I paused, taking into consideration what he just said.

"I think that everyone would agree with me when I say fucking finally!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Verkwan are finally dating. Now there's one (or maybe two??? Idk) more ship(s) to establish before it'll be time to end this. (I can't believe it fucking took 21 chapters for them to get together (and then however many years before) I'm so done with them and I was the one writing it?? I'm so sorry it took so long)
> 
> LET US PRAY FOR OUR PRECIOUS HAOHAO TO GET BETTER SOON.


	22. Chapter 22

I was dying.  
Well, not on the outside, it was more like I was dying on the inside.  
But, you get the point.

We were sat on a bunch of mismatched chairs on the stage before we were to perform. Because we had made it through the first round, the judges and supporters of the competition had to know the names of the people who had shown enough talent to make it through. We had to organise a team introduction and then introduce ourselves, but then, on top of that, the judges had a few questions from the first round that they get us to answer.

The only thing about this introduction was that Seungcheol had forgotten about it, as did Jihoon and Soonyoung, so when we saw something about it on an advertisement on the way to the competition venue, they had told us to think of something. Yes, you heard right. We had to come up with an entire introduction an hour before round two of the competition was set to begin. Crazy, if you ask me.

So that's the reason why I was dying inside. We had started off with our group intro, hastily put together using the starting lyrics of our song we had organised for if we passed to the next round. " _Say the name!_ " Seungcheol started us off, as the leader. "Seventeen!" We chorused. We introduced ourselves in age order and then sat down in the seats provided for us, which is where we were now, waiting for the judges questions to be passed to us.

"The first question, Judge 'Q' asks 'how long have you all known each other? You're an awfully large group and you work so well together.' Well Judge 'Q', we're actually two different friendship groups who have combined because of Jun and Minghao. They've been friends for over 10 years. Those of us from my school have been friends for six years and those from the other school...?" Seungcheol spoke, trailing off and looking at the others. "Five." Wonwoo confirmed quietly, before the others had even finished counting it mentally (or in Seungkwan's case, counting on his fingers and holding up the number once he finished counting).

"So technically the fourteen of us have only been close for a little more than six weeks, but we've been acquaintances of each other for just over two years. And that's that." Judge 'A' asked us how long we've been involved with music and whether we make our songs and choreography ourselves. "Okay Jihoon, Soonyoung, why don't you cover the second part. I'll start off the first one. I've been practicing rapping for a few years now." We went through our age order, briefly mentioning when we started becoming involved with music, then Jihoon took the microphone and started speaking.

"I, with the help of a friend who produces for Pledis Entertainment, and occasionally the other members, create our songs and we all partake in the lyric writing process, so yes, all of our songs are created by ourselves." He passed the microphone to Soonyoung, who grinned. "Our choreography is fully created by our members, we have our 'Performance Team' as you'll see soon enough, and the five of us often gather outside of normal meetings to come up with choreography for all of our performances."

The microphone was then passed back to Seungcheol who read the last question with a bright smile. "This last question is from Judge 'S'. They ask, have any of you given up something big to attempt to make it in the kpop industry once you start auditioning? Jun, I think this one is a good one for you to answer." He passed it back to me and I blinked with wide eyes because I was not ready to answer this.

"Ah, well, I actually gave up my acting career in China to come over here and do auditions to hopefully make it in the kpop industry. I was a child actor for five years before we moved here." I confessed. Feeling nervous under all the judging stares, I passed the microphone back quickly and covered my face. "That's all, thank you. Please support our performances tonight and give your love to our vocal, performance and hiphop teams." The lights dimmed and those of us who didn't need to be onstage left the stage with our chairs.

Once we were in the wings of the stage, we turned off our microphones (only until we needed to go back on) and the staff took the chairs off us. " _Ughh save me Xiao that was so embarrassing_." I groaned, falling onto Minghao. Luckily he was strong because he probably would've fallen over if he was anyone else randomly finding that a whole body falling on them.

" _Don't worry babe you did fine. I would be more worried for our performance than about what you said_." Minghao responded in a whisper as the familiar notes of our vocal team's '20' started. I groaned again, a bit quieter this time and then quietened down altogether as Jihoon and Jeonghan started off the song.

Listening to such a soothing song with the amazing voices of our vocal team calmed me down enough so that when we finally stood on stage in our starting formation for our song, Highlight, I wasn't worried at all. As the lights lit up, I quickly turned my microphone back on after taking a deep breath as I prepared myself for this, for the first song we wrote the lyrics for, the first song as an official unit.

Due to the adrenaline coursing through my body, the performance felt like it had lasted barely a minute and soon enough we were hurrying offstage in the dark, our hip hop unit replacing us and starting their song 'Check In' while we stood offstage, trying to regain our breath and chugging water to soothe our burning throats before we had to return to the stage. The four of us had taken our blazers off shortly after leaving the stage (as we were meant to do for our group performance), put them in a pile and we all sat on the half of the sofa that was on the side of the stage we exited by.

On the other side of the stage, in the corresponding wing, I could see the vocal team also sitting down on the other half of sofa, all except Jihoon, who seemed to be watching the remaining subunit almost anxiously, fidgeting with one of Wonwoo's books, which we were also using as a prop. None of us spoke, which allowed us to be alert so when the music died out and the lights dimmed, we immediately got off the couch and lifted it on to the stage, getting into our positions, whether it was onstage or off.

"Seventeeeeeeeen~" Those of us who could sing harmonised as the backing track started, I bowed and those behind me parted to reveal Wonwoo who was on the sofa, who started the first rap as the others sat behind him and behind the sofa. The lights, as always, were blinding, and soon enough it was over, Wonwoo rapping the last line, the cheers louder than last time as the lights dimmed and we filed offstage quickly, half of us going to one side, the remaining half going the other way so we could take the sofa back to our dressing room so we wouldn't forget it.

I went to help lift the sofa, only to find that it had already been picked up by others, so I stopped and waited for Minghao to come from the other side, giving high fives to some of our members who walked past me, all of us beaming at each other. When Minghao arrived, I slung my arm around his waist and he leaned into my body as we walked.

" _Gēge! Our unit performance was executed so well!_ " Minghao gushed, excitedly. I smiled fondly at him. " _Yeah baby. We did amazing._ " I agreed. " _And the group performance oh my god! This has been such an amazing night_." Minghao added and I couldn't do anything but nod in agreement.

The cheers that were sounded when we all were back in our dressing room after we were announced as winners for that round spoke for all of us. We were all so proud with ourselves.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hehehe pet names again. (All I can say is soon. I'm planning for them to realise feelings aren't gone very fucking soon okay this is killing me.)


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I deleted the christmas chapter bc I remembered it spoiled some things and yeah Im a dumbass. So this is the actual chapter 23 and the christmas chapter will be uploaded as the same chapter it was meant to be uploaded as (26). I'll post an extra chapter to make up for my fuck up.

We were seated in the after school English as a second language class and watched with dread as our teacher put up her favourite sign, the one that said 'no Korean'. These were horrible lessons for us, who weren't fluent in English, but they were our teacher's favourite thing, being born and raised in an English speaking country.

She had learnt Korean so she could take this job, but like all people who know a second language, she prefers to talk in her mother tongue. I zoned out and copied any words she wrote, writing the Korean translations in Mandarin as well, just in case I forgot to read Korean one day because you never know if one day you might wake up and have amnesia and forget how to read.

" _Gēge are you awake?_ " Minghao asked, effectively snapping me out of my trance. " _What_?" I asked dumbly. Minghao rolled his eyes and laughed slightly at my response before copying the notes on the whiteboard rapidly, seconds before our teacher went to erase them.

" _I'm just talking about your oh so godly looks and your beautiful voice and your fucking plump ass_." Minghao stated dryly after he finished copying the notes, rubbing his hand to try to get the cramps to stop. " _Honestly I'm sick of this abuse_." I whispered jokingly and Minghao sloppily kissed me on the cheek. " _Love you too babe_." He responded. I just groaned and shoved him on his shoulder.

"Boys I love that you're being open with your relationship but not in class please. Also, as you were talking while I was talking and it seemed oh so interesting to you, can you please share with us what you were saying?" She asked, Australian accent audible in every word she spoke.

She made sure to pointedly look at the sign and I looked at Minghao with a mischievous smile. He seemed to catch on to what my plan was and he smiled as well. "Oh, nothing miss. Just," I switched mid-sentence into Mandarin. " _Well I was first of all copying your notes blindly because I had no sleep I started to fall asleep and then Xiao Hao just fucking complimented me which isn't fair and_ ,"

I then swapped into Cantonese, " _I can't fucking believe my feelings aren't gone I just want to be in a relationship with Minghao again because I still love him_." I tried to stop myself from breathing heavily after my mini rant. " _Yeah I totally confessed by undying love to Gēge_." Minghao stated in Mandarin, looking at me somewhat blankly due to what I said in Cantonese and it was at this moment that I was thankful that Minghao could hardly remember Cantonese.

The class was silent, staring at us, their mouths gaping and eyes wide. Our teacher blinked, once, twice, before she simply sighed and left the room. As she left she announced that we should just go. So I stood up, grabbed my bag and turned to Minghao with a smile.

"Come on Xiao Hao. Let's go to a cafe before we go home." I held out my hand to take Minghao's hand and he looked down at it momentarily before looking back up at me and hesitantly taking it.

The walk to the cafe was slow and quiet, but it was a nice, comfortable quiet. Once we arrived, I made Minghao find somewhere to sit down and placed our order at the front counter. Soon after, I took the number and looked around the cafe to try and find where Minghao had decided to sit.

The cafe was a simple, but nice looking cafe. It was painted a mint green colour and had light grey floor tiles. There were pillars strewn here and there, fairy lights strung around them. There were a combination of both booths and tables, all decorated with small vases with some flowers in them. Upon looking a bit more, I saw Minghao sitting in a booth rather far away from where anyone would be able to see.

I headed over to him with a faint smile on my face and sat down, putting the number at the edge of the table. " _What's up Xiao Hao_?" I asked upon sitting down, assuming he was troubled by something by the way his posture was and by his behaviour. He was hunched over and furiously moving his finger against his phone screen. " _I_..." he looked up at me and I could see that there were tears in his eyes.

He then recited what I had said earlier in Cantonese, specifically the part when I spoke about still having feelings for Minghao. " _I may not remember everything about Cantonese, but I can remember enough to recognise those words you said, 'I still love him'. Please explain, Junnie-gē_." He whispered.

My eyes widened and I began to curse myself in my head. I knew I was quite reliant on how he wasn't 100% fluent in Cantonese and I now realised that I shouldn't have been so reliant on that. " _I... Minghao... I honestly don't think we should've broken up. It was a stupid reason and we both were hurting so much because of it._ "

Just after I started, a worker came to give us our drinks. Sensing the tension, they put the drinks down, took the number and immediately left afterwards. " _I'm sorry I shouldn't be talking about this. I'm just being ridiculous._ " I tried to stop the topic from being continued, but Minghao glared at me. " _Don't you dare try to change the topic. Tell me what you're thinking Gēge. Tell me everything_." He insisted.

" _It's just... everyone thinks we're dating still and I can see why because we still do the same sort of stuff we did while_ _we were dating, minus the kissing, obviously, and it just hurts because I've realised that I still love you and I always have_." I didn't realise I was crying until Minghao, who was also crying, wiped his own tears and leaned over the table to wipe my tears with a careful, soft touch.

" _I'm sorry Gēge I didn't know you felt this way and I feel really bad about everything now. I_... _I understand what you are saying about us but I just don't know anymore. I'm just so confused because of everything and I don't know what to do anymore. I thought it was a decent idea at that time because I was scared but I don't know it was too late for me to tell you my regrets I just-._ "

I cut him off by leaning over the table and placing my lips on his. I was kissing him with all the repressed feelings from the past few months after we broke up. Much to my pleasure, rather than pushing me away, protesting about it and leaving me broken hearted, he kissed me back, equally as passionate. Neither of us were rough though, we had shared more of a tender, loving kiss.

I smiled into the kiss and when we pulled away, Minghao was slightly flushed, looking more genuinely happy than what he had been for a long time. " _So, Xu Minghao, are you willing for our relationship to start again? To start fresh and forget all the pain from last time_?" I asked and he leaned forward and kissed me again.

" _Was that an acceptable answer for you_?" He asked in a low, teasing voice. In my mind, I rose an eyebrow, I knew what he was trying to do. " _I don't know, Xiao Hao, I think I was getting mixed vibes from that. How about you answer me again_?" Minghao smirked and decided to go along with my plan, leaning forward again, cupping the back of my head.

He stopped centimetres away from my lips, whispered, " _Of course, Gēge_." and bliss filled me as he kissed me once again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Y'ALL IT FINALLY HAPPEMED IM EMO AND I SCREAM EVERY TIME I READ THIS  
> (Also one of my managers at work called Jun hot when I showed her a photo of him and I was like same)


	24. Chapter 24

I sighed and dropped my head against the bench, flinching at the loud sound, but not feeling any pain. I groaned and closed my eyes, crossing my arms in front of my face, wanting death to consume me because of my breakless and boring six hour shift, which was technically illegal, but it's not like I cared because I was the one who started early by choice and didn't ask for a break.

I was currently working three jobs ( ** _it's not like anyone knew about these though because I only just decided on jobs he has because new idea_** ) because of something I wanted to do back before Minghao and myself broke up and wanted to do even more so now we were together again.

I was close to drifting off to sleep because of how slowly the shift was dragging — even though I knew I only had a maximum of 20 minutes left in my shift before I could go home and sleep — when I heard the bell that was associated with new customers ring.

Immediately I lifted my head, torn from my almost rest and groaned and slammed it back down as soon as I saw every single one of my friends walk through the door. A few seconds later, I felt familiar fingers raking through my (thankfully soft and clean) hair, giving me a slight scalp massage whilst in the process. He kissed my forehead before playing with my hair again.

"Wait, you two are being more affectionate than normal. What's happening here?" I heard Jeonghan ask. The hand in my hair froze before moving to rest on my arm and I lifted my head again. I looked at Minghao in shock and he looked back at me with the exact same expression, looking like a deer in the headlights.

"We may... we may be together again?" I responded quietly, but it sounded more like a question. "When... did this happen?" He asked again, scarily calm for someone who just found out that their friends were dating again. "Three days ago?" Minghao answered this time, voice small, looking at me uncertainly. I nodded in reassurance and he smiled. "Why the hell did neither of you tell us?" He asked in an accusatory tone at the exact time Seungcheol shouted, "I knew you were going to get back together!"

Seungcheol almost sounded as if the two of us being together was a personal victory and I just shook my head in confusion. "Whoops?" I said weakly in response to Jeonghan's previous question. "So why is everyone here?" I asked, standing up properly after grabbing the hand of Minghao's that was lingering on my arm. "Well Jihoon's had no sleep so he needs a lot of coffee to process anything that is happening so I thought, why not just hold our meeting at your workplace today?"

"Absolutely not. When we discuss the competition we're so damn loud and we'll scare every single customer away! And does it look like we have any tables that will be big enough to fit all 14 of us?." I stated barely a second after Seungcheol spoke. He pouted at me, which was irritating because all of us knew that whenever he acted cute he ended up getting his own way, so nobody ever tried to stop him. "But don't you have a room upstairs which is used for meetings?" He asked and I sighed.

"But it's meant to be employees only in the meeting room. I'll get in trouble if I don't ask for permission." I reasoned and he pouted more, looking up at me with big eyes. I then sighed as I knew he was going to get his way. "Fine! I'll ask my manager if we can use the room. Are you happy now?" He immediately stopped pouting and grinned at me.

Seungcheol could probably get a position as a CEO of a company by using his aegyo. The saddest thing is that only our youngest can resist his aegyo, but he was wrapped around Seungcheol's finger and vice versa and when they combined forces and begged anyone for anything, all hell could potentially break loose.

"Let me just go check now... You have to wait until I get back for anything to be made for you lot." I called over one of my coworkers to take care of the orders while I was going to talk to our manager, purposefully mentioning for her not to serve my friends and then went to the managers office.

"What may I do for you, Junhui-ssi?" He asked me soon after I knocked on the door to alert him of my presence. "Seokjin-nim, may my friends and I please use our meeting room to discuss and start creating songs for the next round of that competition we are in?" He went to respond, but I cut him off so I could give him a reason that would probably convince him.

"Hyung says that unless Jihoon consumes an inhumane amount of caffeine he'll likely pass out and we need to at least have our songs planned out before he can sleep for a whole day." His eyes widened as he heard me say that.

"Is this friend of yours, Jihoon-ssi younger than you?" Seokjin asked and I nodded, not saying anything due to the protective look he had in his eyes. "As long as some of you have purchased something from here and you clean up afterwards I'm fine with it, here have the key to the meeting room. I'm going to get some more ingredients and I'll make some extra pastries for you boys. Also, stop calling me Seokjin-nim, just call me hyung." I smiled at him and walked back out, Seokjin following close behind.

As soon as he stepped out, he saw all of my friends and smiled. Sure Seokjin was only four years older than me, but he seemed to treat those who are close to him and younger than him like they were his own children. "Are these all your friends Junhui-ssi?" I nodded.

"Who's your oldest and- oh, is this your maknae? He's so cute!" He started doting on Samuel, who was relishing in all of the attention coming from both Seokjin and Jeonghan who was hugging him from behind. "That's Samuel, our maknae. I'm our oldest and my name is Choi Seungcheol." Seungcheol held his hand out for Seokjin to shake.

"Nice to meet you, Seungcheol-ssi. I'm Kim Seokjin. I've heard good things about the thirteen of you. I hate to leave so suddenly but I must quickly stock up on some ingredients. Junhui-ssi will show you to the meeting room." Seokjin jumbled his words a little bit in his rush before hurrying out of the cafe.

Seungcheol turned to look at me expectantly and I rolled my eyes and guided my friends up the stairs and towards the back of the second floor where our meeting room was located. I unlocked the door and everyone streamed in and onto the swivel chairs.

"Seokjin-hyung's main condition for us being allowed in here was that we have to buy drinks and stuff from here, okay? I'll be back once my shift is over. Don't make a mess!" I looked pointedly at our gag trio, who looked back at me with innocent facial expressions and Seokmin retorted in mock outrage. "Hyung! We would never!"

I just rolled my eyes and left the room, Seungkwan hollering random English words that he really didn't know the meaning of, if Hansol's panicked shouting was anything to go by, as someone, probably Seungcheol, shut the door to keep the noise inside the room. "Yah! Hyung!" I stopped in place and waited for a Jihoon to catch up with me.

"Hey Jihoon. You look dead." He gave me a dry look in return to my blatant statement. "Gee thanks Captain obvious. I honestly want to either consume enough caffeine for 10 people or sleep for three days straight. Or both." He deadpanned, probably with a blank expression as we walked down the stairs, then he cracked a smile shortly after when I looked back at him in shock.

"Hey, hyung... this round needs a solo and a duet... I'm going to do the solo because I'm more confident on the stage when I'm singing but... I was wondering if you and Minghao would like to create a song with my help and do a duet for this round?" My jaw dropped and I went to respond, but I saw that my coworker was struggling a bit so told him to wait and rushed to help her, sending her to make drinks and taking over order taking.

By the time Jihoon had arrived at the front of the line and ordered his five shot iced coffee, my mind had finally processed his offer. "Jihoon, have you asked Xiao Haohao about this?" He nodded, responding while he did so, saying, "Minghao said that you will make the decision for both of them, seeing as 'you make the best decisions', whatever that means."

I smiled softly, knowing exactly what my Minghao had been referring to. "Well I'm glad he let me choose. My answer for you — from the both of us — is a yes we absolutely will. We'd be honoured to do a duet for this round." He smiled at me and his eyelashes started fluttering slightly in a visible sign that he was struggling to stay awake.

Thankfully, in time before Jihoon probably would've collapsed to the floor, my coworker passed me Jihoon's drink and I practically shoved it into his hands. "Thanks hyung." The gratitude was clear in his voice. Whether it was for taking on the duet or for giving him his drink, I wasn't sure.

I didn't really care because when I looked up and past the queue, to the staircase, I saw Minghao standing there and I felt warm inside just by looking at him. He gave me a thumbs up and tilted his head questioningly, I assumed he was asking about the duet, nodded and smiled.

The smile that bloomed on his face was priceless and I was beyond happy to be the person who was, and hopefully will forever be, on the receiving end of that angelic smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jun is so soft for Hao and I'm honestly not okay. I'm glad I can have Jun be a sappy romantic now that I've made them get back together. And also, Jin! Because cafe owner Jin who is hella soft for Jun isn't a thing already. (this was not planned I swear)
> 
> Also my plan for this chapter was literally:  
> JUN@WORK  
> THINKS ABOUT MICING INTO APARTMENT W MINGHAO  
> YA BOYS BARGENIN AND DECIDE THEY WANT TO DISGUSSS STUDF AT JUN WORK  
> DOES IT LOOK LIKE WELL HAVE A ROOM BIG ENOUGH TO HOLD ALL OF US (spoiler, they do)  
> DISUCEESS DUET/SOLO MY I SIMPLE


	25. Chapter 25

 

" _Yah! Gēge! Be careful with your movements otherwise you'll fall!_ " I rolled my eyes at Minghao's nagging while we were dancing. I then snickered when he practically ate his own words because he was distracted from telling me off.

The younger boy had been so engrossed in scolding me — even though I was paying (almost) full attention to my movements, my only distraction being how beautiful Minghao looked while we were dancing — that he tripped over the elastic that we were using in our routine and fell to the floor.

" _You're being a bit of a hypocrite, Mr Xu_." I tsked, trying to keep my composure and stop myself from laughing as I took the elastic off my wrist, walked over to the stereo system and paused our song. When I was halfway back, I saw the state that Minghao was in — elastic tangled around his body after tripping and his facial expression looking betrayed — I started laughing, sinking to my knees as the laughter made me feel more weak, feeling tired after rehearing for hours straight.

" _Don't just laugh at me Gēge! Help me please!_ " Minghao huffed and I just continued laughing at him. " _I'm so tired that I feel like all I can do is laugh_." I muttered weakly and, feeling my body falling forwards, I manoeuvred myself so that I ended up doing a sideways roll to get closer to where Minghao was seated, scowling at me as he was untangling the elastic.

The hilarity of the situation became more apparent to me and my exhausted self and I began laughing harder at his scowl. " _Fuck you, asshole_." He muttered under his breath, but with no real malice in his words. " _Love you too!_ " I snarked in response as I rolled once again and when I stopped, I landed on his legs and smiled up at him cheekily.

He huffed and looked away from me and my smile became a pout because of this action. " _Xiao Hao Hao_ ~" I called out in a sickeningly sweet, fake voice in order to get a reaction. Nothing. " _Hao Haooooo_." I cooed in the same type of voice. Once again, nothing.

I smiled cheekily to myself and decided to step it up a notch, to hopefully get more of a reaction. " _Bao bei~ my sweet angel~ my first and last~ my_ -" I was cut off by Minghao's soft lips on my own, effectively shutting me up. After a few seconds he pulled away, carefully moved his legs from underneath me and stood up. I hadn't noticed he had untangled the elastic and himself until that moment.

" _Come on Gēge. One more time then we can go home and sleep._ " I looked up at the clock and saw that it was past midnight. " _I- okay, fine. Can you help me up please_." I asked and Minghao just looked down at me. " _Gēge, you and I both know that if I tried to help you up, I'd just fall back down_." He pointed out.

" _You make a compelling argument_." I stated as I rolled over onto my stomach and put my hands on the floor to tuck my legs in so I was crouching before I stretched my legs out as if I was doing a toe-touch stretch and eventually stood up.

" _Our bodies are probably gonna hurt tomorrow... why did we decide to use that elastic again?_ " Minghao groaned and I stepped forward so I was really close to him. " _Three words_." I whispered into his ear, " _We're soulmates, remember?_ " I finished, pinching his cheek before I walked away and picked up my side of the elastic from where I had dropped it, putting it back into place as if nothing had just happened.

Minghao, who seemingly froze at that moment that I got extremely close to him, groaned in frustration. " _I almost forgot that was the reason why we made ourselves suffer like this_." He whined as he reset his side of the elastic and got into position for us to run our routine once more before we called it quits.

I headed over to the stereo, sent a message to my mum to ask her to pick us up in 10 minutes and restarted the instrumental of our song. I quickly got into position just a few seconds before we had to start walking around the elastic in the intro part of the song. As we walked around, Minghao called out to me, " _Last time. Let's make it good Gēge_." I nodded firmly and then we went into our respective performance modes as we slid in towards the elastic, picked it up and slid it around our wrists, standing up and standing back to back as the actual song started.

We started the routine as normal, as strong as we could be, considering we were exhausted, but we sung as loud as we could as we danced so we could have good breath control for when we performed. Once we reached approximately the minute mark, there was a moment in the choreography where Minghao caressed my cheek.

When we were doing that part, Minghao looked particularly breathtaking so of course, I just had to lean in and quickly kiss him before we needed to separate and continue dancing. " _Yah! Gēge!_ " He shouted out in complaint, but he didn't stop dancing, and neither did I.

In the second minute of our performance, there as a moment when we back rolled and then knee spun in towards each other and held a section of the elastic on the floor with one of our hands. With the other hands, they crept into each other and once our hands were within a distance when they met each other and touched, we held hands.

Minghao was looking down intently at his hand and the elastic like we were meant to, but instead I was staring at Minghao as if he was a fallen angel, once again breathless because of his beauty. When he looked up, he looked startled by the way I was looking at him but his eyes seemed to be telling me not to do anything.

We continued on with our dancing and singing and once we reached the end, where we took the elastic off and did our own things, I randomly changed what I was doing so it was something I could do in my exhausted state. Minghao, however, stayed strong and once he finished his solo part, I could see how much more exhausted this had made him.

When we rushed into the elastic and picked it up at the very end of our routine, Minghao was breathing heavily and I couldn't stop myself as I dropped my end of the elastic and leaned forward and kissed him once again. I wrapped my arms around Minghao and pulled him as close to me as he could get without either of us falling.

" _Sorry bao bei, but you just look so damn beautiful_..." I whispered shortly after we pulled away to catch our breath, just before we continued kissing again, our movements slower and more delicate this time. I could feel Minghao smiling into the kiss and that made me smile slightly as well. When we pulled away, we just smiled at each other. " _I love you so much that it's not healthy_." Minghao whispered and I kissed his forehead.

" _I've always been in love with you Haohao. And I don't want to ever stop loving you either_." I whispered in response and we sat there, staring at each other and whispering sweet nothings until my phone started to ring, telling us that my mother was waiting for us.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> shit i havent updated in weeks i'm so sorry
> 
> i'll post another chapter and talk about stuff in that


	26. Chapter 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> its the christmas chapter lmao i'll update another chapter then bc its nor fair on those of you who've already read this chapter

Minghao was seated in our living room on the floor, looking at the presents situated underneath our tree with wide eyes. He had told me once that he never received very many presents during Christmas. His mother was often sent abroad for uncertain amounts of time so she could earn more money so that she could help her son more when he really needed financial support, so he didn't receive much at all on birthdays either.

He looked at the Christmas tree as if it held all of the secrets to life due to the number of presents underneath, which was certainly more than normal, mainly due to my parents wanting him to feel more involved with our family especially because his mother was abroad. He had no clue of our plan to make him happy on Christmas Day, and was practically in a trance, looking at all of the presents.

Our plan (at this point,) was for our friends to come over and be included in our family gathering because honestly, they were practically family already. The boys were all joining us for lunch (so they would be able to spend the night with family) which was another reason there was more presents under our tree, but Minghao didn't know of this plan.

" _Mama, Papa... are you 100 percent sure you want to cook Christmas lunch for all of us? That's 14 teen boys you will need to cook for_." I asked, concerned. My mother looked at me, almost insulted. " _Are you underestimating mine and your father's cooking skills?_ " She asked, her voice low.

" _Nonono! I would never!_ " Minghao snapped out of his trance at my loud attempts to amend what I had said. " _Wait... what's happening?_ " He asked in confusion and I just waved him off, " _Nothing, bao bei. Shall we organise the presents into piles per person?_ " I offered in order to distract him.

His eyes lit up and he crawled over to the tree before pulling out the first present. " _For... me?_ " He looked at me, confused, but I just smiled so he shrugged and put the present down near where he was sitting earlier. I pulled the closest present to me out and when I saw Seungcheol's name, I put that one to the side so that I could put it back underneath after we were done with the others.

We worked silently, having some sort of an unspoken system which worked by there being some sort of invisible line between the two of us, dictating who took what presents to sort. Soon enough we were staring at piles of presents for us and my parents and putting the ones for our friends back under the extravagantly decorated tree.

" _Mama we're done."_ I informed politely and my mother stuck her head out of the kitchen to analyse the scene. " _Well done_. _You boys are allowed to open your presents now."_ When neither of us moved, she spoke again. _"What are you both waiting for, the new year? But still, thank you both for organising them all_."

I put mine into a few separate piles so that they were in order of largest to smallest and waited for Minghao to organise his own pile. I could see in his pile the presents that I had bought and I noticed that there was a present that was the exact same size as one of mine that was from all of our parents. " _Mama, is there any presents we have to wait until the end to open or can they just be opened in whatever order_?" I asked.

"That one from us and Hao's mother. You have to open them together at the end." I nodded in understanding and put that one aside. Minghao did the same and I caught his eye and overexaggeratedly squinted in suspicion. He laughed at me and picked up a cushion off the couch, throwing it at me.

I ducked just in time and picked the cushion up from behind me and threw it back at Minghao, who giggled quietly and flushed with embarrassment when he realised he had giggled. " _Awww you're so cute Haohao_ ~" I cooed and he glared at me, which looked ridiculous with his red cheeks.

" _Just- let's just open the presents_." He muttered, flustered. I picked up my largest present and he picked up his smallest present, which I knew was from me (because of my awful wrapping skills). The present was a pair of earrings that I had seen him eyeing one time when we went out together. ( ** _The infinity earrings he wore during DWC era, remember those??? Yeah that's what those earrings are_** )

The two of us were silent as we opened our presents and once they were all opened we looked at each other's stuff. Minghao received a variety of different clothing items that he could probably mix and match to make about 20 outfits and a few other things, such as a new Bluetooth speaker, a few new books and a professional camera (not one of the hella expensive ones, but not one of the cheap ones either).

There was one present from me that Minghao looked at, put to the side (without knowing what it was and without me telling him, just having intuition that it was special) and opened at the end. He almost cried when he did open it though, it was a photo album that I had composed that was filled with Polaroids — of Minghao that I had taken without him knowing, of Minghao with me, of Minghao with our friends — and many printed photos of scenery that he had taken (that I had sent to me without him knowing before he deleted them).

I received a lot of snacks from different cultures from Minghao (and when I say a lot, I mean it, he literally put a whole bunch of them in a huge duffel bag and wrapped that up) and of course I had to look at all the different snacks. I recognised my favourite Chinese and Korean snacks instantly and looked up at Minghao with a soft smile when I noticed there were more of those snacks than any other.

There were also many other snacks that I had never seen before, I had squinted to try and read the strange English word on a bright yellow packaging. The separate sections of the snack - which implied it was a spreadable snack of some sort - had biscuits and also a strange dark brown, almost black spread. 'Vegemite' was what I made out from the strange word. ( ** _Yo I'm sorry if you don't know about/don't like Vegemite bc I love it lmao id also love to see Seventeen try it_** )

I also received a lot of clothes, enough to make about 15 different combinations with everything I got. My last present was a necklace that I recognised as the one that Minghao always wore that I had told him I liked when he got it three years ago, but he told me it only had limited stock and sold out quickly. So imagine my confusion when I looked up and saw that he still had his around his neck and that this was a new one.

" _I don't want to be cliche and have matching jewellery... actually yes I do want to be somewhat cliche, at least until we progress in our relationship and have something else matching. I got off topic, BUT! I found the woman's business card and I managed to get her to make one last special copy of this necklace_." I cooed at his words and crawled over so that I could put a hand under his chin and place kisses all over his face.

" _I love you_. I love you. _I. Love. You!_ " I stated repetitively and the small smile on Minghao's face and the giggles that were escaping his mouth as my breath and lips tickled his sensitive skin made me feel soft inside. I loved this boy with my entire heart.

"Open up!" I heard Jeonghan's voice shouting as someone (probably more than just one person though) rapidly knocked on the door. I huffed in annoyance and when Minghao spoke quietly to me, asking me why Jeonghan was at the door, I just stubbornly clung onto him and ignored Jeonghan's repetitive pestering.

"The door is unlocked Hannie dear!" My mother called out and almost instantly the door slammed open. "Hello my ho ho hoes! Happy holidays bitches!" Jeonghan's voice echoed throughout the house and I groaned into Minghao's shoulder. I faintly heard my mother good-naturedly scolding Jeonghan for slamming the door, but I just wanted to curl up with Minghao. Not only was Jeonghan overly festive, he also allowed a free reign on language over the Christmas season because he enjoyed flinging 'festive curses' around.

" _Gēge what's happening_?" Minghao asked and I groaned, again. "You ruined our moment Hannie-hyung. We were having a moment!"I complained and stopped clinging tightly to Minghao, but held his hand instead. " _Merry Christmas Haohao. This is my parents' last Christmas present to you. A Christmas lunch with all of our friends. And there's a dinner booked for when your mum comes home as well_." I told him and this time, tears actually started streaming down his face.

" _I actually love you so much_." He whispered and I wiped his tears as gently as humanly possible, smiling happily before he leaned forward and leaned his forehead against my own, closing the gap between our lips. We were rudely interrupted and pulled away when Seokmin screeched from the doorway of the room we were in.

"I hate you all." I muttered to our friends and almost started crying when I saw that every single one of them wore a sweater and every person's outfit got uglier. Jeonghan's sweater was literally a tree shade of green with real baubles and tinsel sewn on to it and there were actual, functioning lights on it.

Compared to Jeonghan, Seungcheol was just as bad (and the sad thing is, I had no clue whether he was forced into it or not). Seungcheol wore an obnoxious red sweater, green ripped jeans (I didn't even know those were a thing) and he was covered in ribbons and bows, from head to toe. All I could do upon seeing him was sigh in disappointment.

Jisoo wasn't so bad, he wore a plain white sweater, but his legs were covered in tinsel and he had an angel headband on his head. The halo on that was wrapped in silver and gold tinsel and honestly, the tinsel that he was covered in killed my eyes whenever he stood in the sunlight. Thankfully he seemed to know this and stood in the doorway rather than coming into the room.

Soonyoung, for some reason wore a hot pink sweater with fairy lights hanging from it (when questioned, he said it was "because it was the same colour as Jihoon's hair at one point and the fairy lights because he's my fairy" ... because getting a sweater that's the same colour your boyfriends hair used to be is normal...?). Jihoon glared at everyone that even looked at him because of the sweater he wore, or more likely the fact that he was forced to wear a sweater because his sweater was just a basic one and he looked fine.

Mingyu's sweater was covered in dogs and Wonwoo was wearing the least ugly christmas themed sweater, in fact, it wasn't ugly at all but it was probably bought from eBay and had 'ugly' in the item name. He wore a black sweater with snowflakes on it, it almost reminded me of the hoodie Jack Frost wore in Rise of the Guardians - the snowflakes were more gathered and defined near his neckline and the number lessened the further down they got on the sweater.

Chan honestly looked like he wanted to die from embarrassment in a sweater that was covered in little bell ornaments and made noise every time he moved. Samuel's sweater was ugly, but the more I looked at it on him, the better it looked (but that's just because it's him and he can make most things look good). It was hand knitted and it was honestly a fail. There were some holes here and there, but there were stars which were cut out from gold fabric used to cover those holes.

Seungkwan and Hansol wore a sweater that was actually two stuck together. Originally I thought that it was absolutely idiotic because what if one needed to go to the bathroom? Then I heard the horribly loud ripping sound of Velcro splitting and the two boys suddenly weren't connected as Seungkwan tripped over his feet as he walked away and Hansol fell over as his boyfriend left his side. Seungkwan had seen the photo album on top of Minghao's clothes and decided that, because he loved looking at people's memories and things that made them feel sentimental, he would take a peek at the photos. Minghao snatched the photo album before he could touch it and sat on it.

"Make yourselves at home. Lunch will be ready soonish." I told them and everyone moved, some sitting on the lounges, some sitting on the floor and some of them just standing there. I watched Samuel slip out of the room and  follow Jisoo into the kitchen and I grabbed my pile of gifts and went to my room to put them away, Minghao following so he could put his stuff with the bag he had brought with him for today.

When we were going back to our friends, we were blocked by Jeonghan and Seungkwan who each held a ridiculous looking sweater. The one Seungkwan held was extremely oversized, black and white and had holes in it. Both of the sweaters were no way Christmas themed, but it was better that way, if my suspicions were correct. The one that Jeonghan held was also oversized and it was black and yellow striped. They somewhat matched which told me exactly why they were standing there.

"Oh hell no!" Minghao shouted as he came to the same conclusion as me. "Oh hell yes." Seungkwan stayed firmly and approached my boyfriend with the black and white sweater, that left Jeonghan with the yellow and black sweater and myself. "So you want me to look like a fucking Bee Movie character on Christmas...?" I asked exasperatedly.

"Now you point that out to me... yes I do." I groaned and gave in, knowing it was not worth it to fight against me wearing the sweater. Jeonghan would get me into it one way or another, that's just how it works with him. "Nonono don't make me wear that it's so ugly." Minghao complained and Seungkwan just laughed and pulled his shirt off forcefully.

"Boo Seungkwan unhand me or I'm going to tell Hansol you tried to do some dirty stuff to me." Minghao threatened, glaring at the younger boy, who still seemed unaffected. "Vernonie won't believe you. I'm an angel to him." He smirked and pulled the sweater over his head.

I took my shirt off and put my own sweater on, prompted by Jeonghan glaring at me. By the time I had gotten my sweater on, Seungkwan had managed to force one of Minghao's arms into a sleeve. " _Come on Haohao. If I look like Barry B Benson and not be causing a fuss then you can at least wear that sweater and still look like a rather normal person_." I stated blandly, trying to get him to see my reasoning.

"They somehow ran out of ugly Christmas sweaters in every shop we looked so that's why you have these. Consider yourselves lucky." Jeonghan told us and finally Minghao let Seungkwan finish putting the sweater on him. He put his arms down, looked down at the sweater, up at me and pouted. Seeing him pouting at me with the oversized sweater was too much for me. "Xiao Haohaooo~" I cooed and engulfed him in a tight embrace, kissing him on the forehead.

"Stop it Junnie-gē you're making me feel embarrassed." he whined and I just laughed and changed the way I was hugging him so that he was being backhugged. Jeonghan and Seungkwan left us, having done what they wanted to do. "Boys!" My mother called and Minghao didn't make a move to remove himself from my embrace so we awkwardly waddled to the kitchen, where everything was on separate dishes for us to grab our own serves.

There were some 'traditional' Christmas foods that my parents had cooked, but there were also lots of Korean and Chinese foods as well and when we arrived, all of our friends were conversing, smiling and piling food on their plates as my parents smiled happily, watching over all of us. Seeing everyone looking so happy made my heart swell. I loved every one of my friends and rather than seeing them as just friends, I was seeing them more as a second family.

This Christmas, by far, was the best one in my life. Never had I been surrounded by so many people that I cared for with every fibre of my being. When we eventually had to say goodbye so that our friends could spend the rest of the day with their families, it was by far the hardest goodbye, even if we weren't saying goodbye for good.

When we went into the living room to clean up the mess I noticed that there was something Minghao and myself forgot to do, open the present from our parents. I called him over and passed him his one. We looked at each other and unwrapped the present. Underneath the wrapping paper was a small box. We did a quiet countdown before we took the lid off. Inside was a set of keys. We both looked at my parents inquisitively, then it dawned on me. They were keys. One of our parents had probably overheard us talking about wanting to move into an apartment.

" _We listened to what you wanted. We've paid for about a years worth of rent. Also, believe it or not, it's close to both your school and also an entertainment company that you will be able to audition for_." We were rendered speechless, amazed at everything that we were being told. " _Thank you so much, Mama_." I stared at Minghao, wide eyed. He just stared back at me, equally shocked.


	27. Chapter 27

**Sockmin**  
*scree*  
*scrEE*  
*SCREE*

 **Small Satan**  
what the fuCk  
leE SEOKMIN IT IS 4AM  
WHAT THE HECK DO YOU WANT

 **Soup**  
I hate that freaking message tone why did I agree to it

 **Chazza**  
You're not the only one who hates it, plus, nobody agreed to it hyung

 **Sockmin**  
I wanted to see who was awake  
Well actually I had a reason but I forgot after i sent my firts message

 **Fairy8**  
Well we're probably all awake now

 **Mingew**  
Except maybe Jeonghan and Samuel

 **Jisoos**  
Except definitely Jeonghan and Samuel  
Jeonghan could sleep through an apocalypse and Samuel doesn't keep his phone in his room when he goes to sleep

 **Booyonce**  
You interrupted my beauty sleep

 **Sockmin**  
I didn't know you have beauty sleep lmao

 **Booyonce**  
Ssssshut Up  
Ya snake

 **Visualhui**  
I hate all of you I was having a great dream that I can't remember anymore  
(I hate all of you except Haohao)  
(Bc I love my baby and I could never hate him)

 **Fairy8**  
❤️

 **Mingew**  
Fuck you

 **Visualhui**  
❤️  
Fuck you too Germgyu

 **Bag of Luck**  
Mingyu shut up please we don't need even more messages at this time

 **10:10 Lateold**  
Uuuuuuuh what's happenening yes I'm awake ??  
I woke up hearing Jihoonie venting his frustrations via screaming in the kitchen  
And I just went in there and now he's just sobbing on the floor and he has a packet of chips on the floor next to him  
Minnie you've broken my boyfriend

 **Sockmin**  
Whoops sorry not sorry

 **Soup**  
All I can hear right now is gag trio's screaming over and over again as you all spam this group and also my mind's own pleads for death

 **Fairy8**  
Why don't you put your phone on silent or turn off notifications for our chat

 **Soup**  
You can do that??

 **Rappersol**  
... really hyung?

 **Soup**  
I'm genuinely curious

 **Visualhui**  
You're like a grandpa wtf hyung its easy to put your phone on mute

 **Soup**  
It is????

 **Visualhui**  
Oh my go  
D

 **Sockmin**  
When you wrote D do you mean The D???

 **Visualhui**  
Shut the heckle up omg stop attacking me

 **Mingew**  
Heckle

 **Visualhui**  
Shut the fuck up bitch I didn't want Jeonghan to get mad at me for swearing at his pabo when he eventually wakes up and checks the chat

 **Fairy8**  
Get you a boyfriend like mine  
Attacking my best friend so I don't have to   
Love you gē

 **Mingew**  
I just love your support Hao 

 **Fairy8**  
I just love my support too 

 **Mingew**  
Ashfhsjks I hate you

 **Fairy8**  
No you don't

" _Haohaooooo~ let_ _'s_ _go out for breakfast today!"_ I whined to the other who was laying beside me. He was facing away from me, the emitted glow of the phone in his hands lighting up his face. He turned off the device and put it facing up on the bedside table and both two of us flinched when the screeching of the cursed text tone sounded, screen turning back on to show the message the group had received.

Minghao quickly turned his phone on silent and while he did so he checked the time. " _At 5am Gēge_?" He asked me, looking at me as if I was suggesting he jump off a building. " _Well, we can take our time to walk around and find somewhere that's open and if not we can easily just go to McDonald's? I would say the café I work at, but someone who doesn't like me works mornings_."

Minghao shrugged at my suggestion and moved to get out of our bed. I watched as he stood up and cooed at what he wore to bed, how he wore an oversized shirt that was so big his shorts couldn't be seen underneath.

" _Gēge weren't you the one who suggested we go out for breakfast, why aren't you getting ready? Also stop cooing at me, you do this everyday. Get used to seeing me dressed like this when I sleep because we're living together now_." Minghao snapped me out of my trance and I smiled guiltily at him and got out of bed. I thought for a bit about what I wanted to wear and just decided to wear an oversized hoodie that engulfed my body over a plain white shirt, sweatpants and a simple pair of runners.

I turned around and a smile bloomed on my face when I saw what Minghao was wearing. True to his fashionable self, he looked a lot less like he just crawled out of bed, unlike me. He wore a black shirt with a printed design, ripped jeans and a huge plaid coat with various things hanging off of it.

  
" _Xiao Hao you look so good compared to me_." I whined and he came over to me with a smile, leaned up and kissed the tip of my nose. " _Nonsense. Gēge, you'd look good even if you were in a potato sack, so you don't have the right to say you don't look good_." He argued. My only response to that was a small laugh and a soft smile.

When we left our apartment and Minghao had begun to shiver from the chill of the early morning, even though I was blocking some of the wind from reaching him. I grabbed his right hand which was closest to me and held it tightly, pulling him a bit closer to me as if I would be able to transfer some of my warmth to him.

I quietly hummed the tune to the song Minghao and I had put so much effort in to and the younger boy looked over at me with a smile when he picked up what I was humming. " _You're so_..." he trailed off as he saw something on the other side of the road. " _Hao_?" I asked almost hesitantly and I turned to face where he was looking to see that it was not a ' _what_ ' that he saw, it was a ' _who_ '.

Still holding onto Minghao's hand, he and I checked both ways of the street to make sure there were no oncoming cars before we walked across the street and into the cafe where Zitao was sitting with a man. " _Hello, Minghao, Junhui_." He greeted once we were stood in front of the table he was sitting at. " _Hi Zitao-gē_." Minghao greeted, myself saying the same thing shortly after.

Minghao was somewhat discreetly glancing at the other man and Zitao seemed to understand what he was wordlessly asking. " _Boys, this is Wu Yifan, my husband_." He introduced and my jaw dropped because _that_ was the husband he was talking about. Well, that and how both Zitao and Yifan's looks were like those expected of a model and it's not fair that two attractive people can get together and look 10 times more attractive.

" _Yifan, this is one of my past patients, Xu Minghao and this is his boyfriend Junhui_." Yifan, who had a chilling glint in his eyes which made me feel rather nervous, smiled as he shook our hands in greeting and I had to suppress my shock at how stunning he looked when he smiled. (And, of course, in fangirl/fanboy terms, how 'soft' he looked when he smiled.)

When Minghao and myself had parted with Zitao and Yifan after a nice breakfast and a steaming hot chocolate in a takeaway cup in our hands, I turned my head to face to Minghao and hissed under my breath. " _I still can't believe you told him I was your boyfriend when we had broken up_." Was what I said.

He shot right back with, " _I didn't tell him we were dating. He misunderstood what I was saying because I was in that weird state of consciousness where you just blurt random shit and assumed that we were dating because_ _of what I was saying about you and also how_ _you were the only person who was there with me._ "

I just rolled my eyes, took a long sip of my hot drink and wondered what sort of things Minghao would have said for Zitao to misunderstand what he was telling him about me.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so about Thanks : holy hell I love it so much I've been streaming it since it came out  
> the choreography is amazing, the song itself is beautiful and emotional and I love it (and it sorta gives me DWC vibes?? like,, I cant explain it)
> 
> Uhhhh so this only has a few chapters left.... at max (based on where this is updated to,,) about 8? chapters? maybe more.
> 
> there will also be an epilogue and some special chapters for each ship bc I'm nice like that


	28. Chapter 28

Before we had even started our performance, Minghao and myself were nervous for our duo. The nerves we were feeling had been at a point where we couldn't even look at each other without practically freezing up where we were standing.

Our group performances sadly weren't as perfect as they had been when we practiced - Wonwoo dropping his mic and Hansol almost tripping when we did our song Mansae. And myself forgetting some of our choreography during Aju Nice, which really irritated me because I have never forgotten choreography on stage. The only good thing about when I forgot the choreography was that I was front and centre, so it may have looked like it was intended that I did something different.

We used suspenders in our choreography for Aju Nice, therefore our costuming for our group performances had to include the suspenders. We all ended up wearing black, white or coloured jeans (some of us wearing ripped jeans, others not) and a white button up shirt with black suspenders. For Mansae, the suspenders were hanging down and we had just slipped them up and adjusted our shirts so they were partially tucked in for Aju Nice.

After we had finished our group songs and the stage blacked out, Jihoon quickly took off his suspenders and purposefully threw them at Seungkwan who had finished next to him because Seungkwan was bugging him earlier. (To his advantage, Seungkwan couldn't shout out at him as the elastic and metal hit him in the face because we were on stage) He had fully tucked his shirt into his black jeans during the black out and a microphone stand was put in front of him.

Once the lights came back up and the audience saw who was left, there were cheers. As soon as Minghao and myself had left the stage, we stripped our shirts off, took off our suspenders and changed into very loose shirts that were the same colour as our ripped jeans. As Minghao picked up either side of the elastic which was sitting on a table side stage, I put on a black choker and afterwards took my side of the elastic which was handed to me by Minghao. We stood in one of the wings, elastic untangled and in hand and watched while we waited.

Watching Jihoon on stage — singing the song he had put so much effort into making — was breathtaking, and unbelievably, it helped soothe my nerves. Nobody had heard his song until now, with the exception of Soonyoung, so we were all silent, watching him in awe. His song was so beautiful and emotional that it gave me the chills and left me breathless.

It honestly didn't feel like a whole song had been performed when the black out at the end of Jihoon's solo occurred. I softly kissed Minghao on the lips, whispered good luck and turned my mic on before we walked on to the stage. We put the elastic on the floor in the centre of the stage, stepping a few steps away from our respective ends of the elastic and standing still, waiting for the lights to come back on and for our song to start.

Once the song started and we began walking around the stage, exactly as rehearsed as the stage lights slowly went back to its normal, intense brightness. When we moved in to the elastic to put it around our wrists, I had to fight a smile from appearing on my face due to the excitement, otherwise it would've ruined the rather serious mood of our song.

I slid the elastic onto my wrist with ease and watched for Minghao so we would move in time, standing up and turning so we were back to back. One step. Two steps. Three, four steps, I moved my hand so I was holding on to the elastic. Five steps, we both stopped and moved our hands to make the elastic tremble. Then we started dancing and I was the first to start singing.

I distinctly remember a few parts of our performance, the part I remembered easiest being when Minghao caressed my face, his face had gone from the intense look he always had on his face while dancing to the softest expression when he looked at me, it was as if I was the world to him.

I also remember that when we did the choreography for the chorus and faced the sides, I could see all of our friends looking on and smiling proudly at us. Our youngest friends were all looking at us impressed by our performance and Seungcheol shot me a grin and a thumbs up of encouragement when I looked towards him.

There was also a part where we had choreographed the two of us to be touching each other's hands as if there was a mirror between us and that was slightly changed mid dance. I wasn't the one to initiate the sudden hand holding however, Minghao had intertwined his fingers with mine and I cooperated and did the same. He had smiled softly at me before changing his hand so that it was how it should be positioned as he looked back at the audience.

When we finished, it took all of my willpower not to kiss Minghao while the lights were still on because I was so damn proud of him. Sure this song and choreography was ours, but he came up with the entire concept and I didn't know what our performance would be like if it weren't for him.

Once the lights were down, before the curtain closed, I dropped my side of the elastic and felt for Minghao's face with both my hands. Once I was certain that I had definitely found his face, I pulled him forwards and into a kiss. We weren't there for very long because Minghao had enough sense to remember we were on a stage with an audience in front of us and we pulled apart. We turned off the microphones and walked off the stage and into the wings, where our friends were waiting.

I wasn't sure if the audience were even cheering because during the performance I honestly couldn't hear anything but our song and afterwards I was too engrossed in Minghao. It was quite sad that I didn't even know if the audience liked our song because I couldn't hear anything due to my adrenaline from performing. However, if the hugs we were bombarded with once we got off stage and the tears that some of our friends were shedding were anything to go by, it must've been an amazing performance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> bitch i am an awful person
> 
> im so sorry for forgetting to update
> 
> aaaaaaaaaaaa


	29. Chapter 29

I love my boyfriend, I really do, but sometimes he does stupid things while trying to get his point across. But more specifically, he's very set on staying strong and standing his ground when homophobic people criticise us and he doesn't really care if he gets hurt doing so. And that belief is exactly why he's currently sitting shirtless with his head tilted slightly forward because of the blood that was still flowing from his injured nose.

Minghao and myself had just been out for a calm walk to a nearby park where we had sat on the swing set and just talked for a bit. (This was after we nearly set fire to the kitchen in our apartment after we made each other get distracted when making lunch).

We were on our way back, holding hands and doing our little thing where we swung our intertwined hands back and forth, when the guy came to our attention after we heard him loudly arguing with a worker after he had clearly kicked from the cafe they were standing in front of, based on what he was saying.

After the guy finally turned to leave the cafe he was kicked out of, he noticed us, saw that we were holding hands and scrunched up his nose. Minghao had made a small noise of annoyance at his reaction so I decided to try to soothe Minghao's frustration a bit by kissing his hand. Kissing each other's hands was just a thing we did to let the other know that we were here and to only do what is necessary.

After I had brought our intertwined hands up and kissed Minghao's knuckles, the man started cursing us out for being gay in Mandarin, of all languages, saying things I would never repeat due to how derogatory they were and expecting for us to not understand. However, when he saw my mouth drop in shock and Minghao's entire expression change, he realised we had understood every single word.

Minghao had shouted straight back at him, angry at everything that had just happened. " _How dare you curse us out because of your close minded beliefs, you're being a fucking asshole because you were cursing at us for something we can't change about ourselves_ ** _and_** _you were doing it in another language, thinking we were just Korean gays who couldn't understand a word of what you were saying in Mandarin, which is, conveniently, our mother tongue_."

The man's first response in reaction to Minghao calling him out was to throw a fist. A cowards punch. His fist hit Minghao between his cheekbone and the side of his nose, which was the cause of his nosebleed. The man's strength when he threw the punch was high, as when it impacted, it dazed Minghao and threw him backwards (which really wasn't helped by his body weight, or lack thereof).

If it weren't for the fact that I was right beside Minghao and I didn't let go of his hand, he would've fallen to the floor and hit his head, which would've definitely ended in disaster. I caught Minghao by quickly wrapping my other arm around the other side of his body. The man ran away from where we were just after I had caught Minghao. I wanted to run after the man, fight back for Minghao, but I couldn't just leave Minghao on the sidewalk and go after him.

The worker who the man had been arguing with came out and helped support Minghao's body weight for me as he slowly came out of his daze. "Is he okay? I'm so sorry, I probably provoked him. Can I help you with anything, do you want me to help you take him to the hospital?" He offered, speaking fast. Even though I'd been living in Korea for years now, I still somewhat struggled to understand what he was saying due to the speed of his words.

"I'll just need a bit of help getting him back to our apartment. He won't need to go to the hospital, I can tell it's nothing too bad. He's had worse when we did wushu." I told the other, who I now noticed looked younger than us (but he was almost as tall as me).

"Okay I will help- wait, I'm 14, I can't drive... I can get my hyung to help. Jinji-" I cut him off before he could continue and call for someone else. "It's walking distance, don't worry. Thank you..." I trailed off, not knowing the worker's name. His eyes widened and he hurried to reply with his name. "My name is Yoon Sanha."

"I'm Junhui and this is Minghao." I introduced both of us and looked back at Minghao and saw that he was tipping his head back to try to avoid the blood getting on his sweater, even though there were spots of blood on it already.

" _Haohao my love, don't tip your head back. You'll just have to let your sweater get bloody, you can take it off and let it soak once we get back_." I spoke in a calm tone. Minghao groaned quietly and tilted his head forward and let go of my hand so he could bring the neckline of his sweater up to his nose to block the blood from dripping down his face.

Sanha stopped supporting Minghao's weight hesitantly and went to the door of the cafe, opening it to shout something to a coworker before he returned and stood on one side of Minghao, waiting for him to put his arm over his shoulder. Minghao did this and once he did, I moved my arm so it was around his waist. He let go of the sweater momentarily to put that arm over my shoulder, before holding the sweater to his nose again.

"Lead the way hyung. I can call you hyung right?" Minghao laughed faintly at that as we started walking in the direction of our apartment. "Junnie-gē still calls me the Mandarin equivalent of 'Little Haohao', which he's done since he was five, so if he has a problem with you calling him hyung, it's officially invalid." He spoke up and Sanha laughed at what Minghao said.

"What is the translation? For 'Little Haohao', I mean." Sanha looked a bit uncertain when he said Haohao and I had to stifle my laugher. " _Xiao Haohao_." I answered. Sanha opened his mouth to respond and then closed it straight afterwards.

"That's cute. You two are cute together." Sanha turned to look at both of us with a cute smile on his babyish face. Minghao hummed in appreciation and I smiled at both two boys. The walk back was mostly silent, but thankfully, it was a comforting silence, rather than an awkward one.

By the time we reached our apartment, Minghao was feeling okay enough to get up to the apartment without Sanha's support. I offered for the younger boy to come up to our apartment so he could clean up any blood that may have gotten on him. He declined politely, telling us he needed to get back to work and left to go back along the path we had just come from, but not without exchanging contact details first.

As soon as I closed the apartment door behind Minghao and myself, the sweater was off. It was quickly replaced with a small pile of tissues as Minghao went into the bathroom and shoved the sweater in the sink and ran the tap until the sweater was fully covered by water.

He came out and saw me just staring and started staring back. I couldn't help but laugh at how ridiculous he looked, staring at me while he was shirtless, holding bloodied tissues to his nose and looking like he hadn't slept in a week. " _Come, Xiao Haohao, lets get you cleaned up_." As I walked past him, I grabbed his spare hand and dragged him into the kitchen with me.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oof sorry for forgetting to update i love you all~~~


	30. Chapter 30

"Jun-hyung can you shut up?" Seungkwan hissed under his breath and I immediately shut my mouth. Without paying any mind to my surroundings, I had absentmindedly begun quietly singing the Mandarin lyrics to Minghao and I's song. In any other situation, this would be perfectly fine, nobody would mind, but when it's 2am, half of my friends are asleep and the other half are trying to get to sleep, it's not really appreciated.

"Sorry bub." I whispered, snickering after I heard a somewhat offended 'what?' In return. A few seconds later there was a small voice that sounded half asleep which started slurring in English. "I think it sounds great."

Samuel.

If it weren't for the fact that it was dark, I know I would've been able to see all of my friends who were still awake glaring at me for waking up our youngest at 2am. When I heard nothing else, I stood up and carefully manoeuvred between my friends over to where Samuel was supposed to be sleeping. To my relief, he was asleep still and was probably just talking in his sleep.

"Sleep talking." I muttered loud enough for those who were still awake to hear and carefully made my way back to where I was laying previously. Minghao was half-awake still and once I laid back down and opened my arms slightly, he pulled his pillow a little bit closer to mine so they were touching and he edged into my open arms.

I pulled the blanket that was halfway on his body over the two of us and then wrapped my arms around his waist and leaned forward slowly until our foreheads were touching and gently kissed him on his lips, whispering, " _Goodnight, Xiao Haohao_." In response, he mumbled something that had some sort of resemblance to a ' _goodnight_ ' before his breathing evened out as he fell asleep.

For a while, I just laid there, trying to coax myself to sleep. Sure, it's not like we had school tomorrow, but Jihoon was set on making the lyrics for at least two of our four songs for the final round by the end of tomorrow. If any of us were tired and falling asleep during lyric writing then we would never hear the end of it and would constantly have to watch our backs unless we wanted to be incapacitated by one (1) angry Jihoon.

The time between when my eyes closed and when they opened in the morning barely felt like an hour, even though the time on the clock on the nearest wall confirmed I had been asleep for seven hours. I went to move, but then remembered that Minghao was in my arms and I stopped myself.

Along with remembering that Minghao was in my arms, I also remembered that he was  _on_  my arm and realised that I couldn't feel said arm that was underneath him. I decided not to move until Minghao was awake, knowing he was a rather light sleeper, and instead slowly moved the arm that was on top of his body.

I moved the arm so that I could run my fingers through his hair gently and I started humming quietly while I waited for him to wake from his sleep, staring at his beautiful face which I had memorised every detail of years ago. I almost fell back asleep myself from how calming playing with Minghao's hair was, but I was snapped back into consciousness with the shutter sound of someone's iPhone camera going off as someone took a picture.

My eyes reopened as soon as I heard that sound and I turned my head slightly and saw Seungkwan and Jeonghan both standing near us, panicking over something to do with the phone in Seungkwan's hands. Based on the fact that they both looked guilty and tried to hide the phone when they noticed I was looking at them, I assumed that they had taken a photo of Minghao and myself. All I could do was sigh in disappointment and go back to playing with Minghao's hair.

When Minghao finally woke up, he laid in my arms for another minute or so, just staring at me. " _Why do you look so fucking hot in the morning?_ " He mumbled grumpily and I couldn't help but laugh at that because yep, that's my boyfriend right there. " _Morning babe_." I whispered and Minghao leaned in and kissed me, slightly clumsy from the sluggishness due to him just having woken up. " _Morning Gēge_." He mumbled, smiling drowsily at me.

"Are you lovebirds gonna get up or what?" Jeonghan's voice disrupted our peaceful morning interaction time. "No fuck you." I responded and Minghao giggled quietly. "Get the fuck up hyungs," Seungkwan threatened, "otherwise we'll eat your portions of the food that Mingyu prepared."

"Wow I'm so scared." Minghao responded exasperatedly. " _Come on Hao, they might get Jihoon to threaten us next_." Slowly, Minghao moved back so that he wasn't laying on my arm anymore. Once he did so, I sat up and shook my arm, groaning at the lack of sensation and the slight pain in my arm that came from having Minghao laying on my arm without moving for approximately seven hours straight.

"Morning my dancing hoes." Soonyoung shouted as he saw that we were up as he walked past the open doorway into the large living room of Seungcheol's mother's house. "Language Soonie!" Jeonghan called out after him. " _C'mon Gē, I thought you wanted to eat_." Minghao teased and I looked to him and saw that he was already standing.

I stood myself up and once I did so, Minghao grabbed ahold of my arm that he had been laying on and started gently massaging it to help me regain feeling. "What's for breakfast Mingyu?" I asked as we walked into the kitchen and there, sitting on the bench, were two plates packed with a Western style breakfast, complete with bacon, eggs, hashbrowns, toast and other food items. ( ** _Idk what else to include I don't even eat eggs_** )

"Praise the lord Mingsus am I right?" Hansol asked in English as he walked past us to put his empty plate in the dishwasher. "What?" Minghao asked as we both stared at him blankly. "Nothing, nothing." He waved us off and I shrugged, getting knives and forks out of the cutlery draw for both Minghao and myself as Minghao picked up the plates.

When we got to the table, I noticed there was already cutlery set for us at the table and I awkwardly shuffled back to the kitchen and put the cutlery that I had gotten out back into their respective areas. I went back into the dining room and sat down in the seat where Minghao had put my plate down. We ate mostly in silence and I was eating a bit of bacon when Minghao suddenly asked a question that I think was meant to be asked mentally.

" _What if I grew my hair out a little bit and had a mullet_."

I choked on the bacon I was eating. When I had recovered enough, I answered, which shocked Minghao because he then realised that he had asked his question aloud.

" _Absolutely fucking not_."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for that anti mullet thing at the end i really do love his mullet, that was written when i really didnt like his mullet. it grew on me though and now i couldnt really imagine him cutting his hair (oof but what if he grew it out so he has long hair soMEONE STOP ME BEFORE I DM HIM AND ASK HIM TO LET HIM GROW HIS HAIR UNTIL ITS LONG)


	31. Chapter 31

I watched how Minghao was chatting to Samuel as we were walking to the arcade, holding hands with the younger boy as if he were his younger brother and it was unsafe for him to be walking without holding an older person's hand. I had a small smile on my face because of how cute Minghao looked as he talked to Samuel. Upon hearing the last few words of a question Mingyu was asking me, my attention was taken away from my boyfriend and given to the two who I was currently walking with.

"Hyung were you even listening?" Mingyu asked with a sigh and I looked at him guiltily. "Would you attack me if I said no?" Wonwoo shoved my shoulder, mock glaring at me, but it was clear he wasn't actually mad. "You're so fucking whipped for Hao. It's sickening." Mingyu sighed as if he was disappointed.

"Don't you dare say that, because I know for a fact that you two are both as whipped for each other as I am for Haohao. You know what Wonwoo's last conversation to me was about? 'Jun I don't know what to do for our anniversary. Mingyu wants to do something at my apartment but I want to do something nice for him to show him how much I love him.'. And then he got you a puppy even though he doesn't really like dogs. That, is sickeningly whipped." Wonwoo spluttered, face becoming red in embarrassment. Mingyu stared at his boyfriend with so much love in his eyes and I gagged as a reaction to Mingyu.

"Don't worry Won, I have dirt on your boyfriend as well," Mingyu looked at me with panicked eyes, "Remember what happened on my birthday? How my parents allowed a few people to come to mine because they were letting us drink and I invited Mingyu so Minghao didn't feel like he had to be with me the whole time?" He nodded, looking at me curiously, the red tone in his face fading.

"Well Mingyu got a little bit drunk because of... well not much, to be honest. He's such a lightweight... and he spent a good hour ranting to us about you and how much he loves you and how he would do anything for you two to stay together forever, even if that means that he has to kill a man." Wonwoo's laughter was pretty contagious and now Mingyu's face was red.

"Hyuuuuuuung!" Mingyu whined, dragging the u sound, making the two of us laugh louder. "Are you two bullying Mingyu again?" Seungcheol asked from in front of us, turning slightly as he walked to raise his eyebrow at us. "Nooo." I said in an unconvincing tone. Wonwoo smiled innocently at him and I did the same.

Seungcheol narrowed his eyes at both of us but didn't question either of us further and kept walking normally. Thankfully he had turned to continue facing the way we were going when he did. Had he not, he would've run into the pole he luckily was able to sidestep in time and there'd be more than just Wonwoo and myself laughing.

Seungkwan, Seokmin and Soonyoung began dramatically singing as we entered the arcade and I rolled my eyes until I could practically see stars, stumbling a bit as my vision returned to normal. " _You're going to roll your eyes into another universe if you're not careful_." A voice chided me and as if it were an instinct, my head immediately turned to look at Minghao when I realised who had spoken.

" _It'd be understandable if my eyes rolled into a different universe because those three are crazy and never should have met_." I argued and he grinned. " _So what are you here with me for?_ " He grabbed my hand and dragged me towards one of the car racing games. I laughed and watched as Minghao sat down in one of the seats and smiled as he looked up at me with big eyes.

"Boys don't forget you need to get an arcade card." Seungcheol shouted out from wherever he was at that moment. Minghao blinked a few times, processing what Seungcheol said and then titled his head and pouted. " _Are you perhaps, by any chance, trying to kill me?_ " I asked and he laughed at me. " _I'll be back, I'll pay for a card for both of us if you buy food for me when we go out later_." I reasoned and he nodded in agreement.

I blew him a kiss before I walked towards the counter and laughed as I heard him fake retching in reaction. When I reached the counter, I was surprised to see a familiar face there. Seungcheol and Jeonghan were talking to her while she was working.

The worker, Im Nayoung, was someone that had grown up with Seungcheol and had went to school with us, but she moved schools a few years back and because the rest of us weren't very close to her, we don't talk to each other often anymore.

"Hiya Nayoung-noona. It's nice to see you again." I said as I reached the counter. She turned her head slightly from where she was looking at Jeonghan and Seungcheol to look at me and smiled. "Hey Jun. How much do you want?" I pointed out how much I wanted on the price chart and as she put credit on the card and put the price through the register, she asked me another question.

"Are you and your beloved Minghao still together?" I blushed slightly, because the last time we actually saw each other was before Minghao and myself broke up and I always talked about him and called him my beloved. "Yeah. We broke up for a few months last year but we realised we were dumbasses for doing that and got back together." I told her as I paid and she laughed slightly at how I called myself and Minghao dumbasses, handing me both cards.

"I'll let you continue talking with Jeonghannie-hyung and Seungcheollie-hyung now. Bye Noona." She responded with a goodbye and a smallhug and I walked back to where Minghao was waiting for me. " _Xiao Haohao I'm so going to beat you!_ " I half-shouted as I approached where Minghao was still sitting, pretending to be playing as he waited.

He jumped slightly in the seat because I had startled him but he was practically trembling with excitement when I sat down and swiped the card on both of our games. " _Which map do we want?_ " I asked and his response was only a 'Uhhhhhhhh'   
" _Quick! We have fifteen seconds left Haohao!_ "   
'Uhhhhhhh'  
" _Fine_ ,  _I'll choose!_ "

" _Quick choose a car!_ " Minghao groaned in response and I leaned over to flick his forehead, annoyed at his indecisiveness. " _Yah, Gēge that's mean_." Minghao complained and I huffed, " _I don't care. You're being indecisive and you're the one who was here the whole time when I went to buy our game credits_."

He leaned over the gap between the two seats to kiss my cheek. " _Don't do that, we don't have the time to be lovey-dovey_." I huffed and he quickly chose a random car, claiming it looked cool. True to the claim that I made earlier, I beat Minghao, and 'beat' was actually an understatement. At one point when I looked over, Minghao had managed to crash into a wall in the game. I stared at him incredulously for a few seconds before I quickly paid attention to my screen again.

After Minghao finally crossed the finish line, I leaned over and kissed his temple. " _If we ever actually get a car in the future, you're never driving. If any of that happened while you were driving in a real car then both of us would be dead already_." I stated and he didn't even try to protest.

All he did was glare at me silently before standing up and dragging me to the area where the two Dance Dance Revolution games were, which could also be known as the source of Soonyoung screaming the lyrics to SHINee's Ring Ding Dong.

Soonyoung really seemed to be struggling on the expert difficulty so he was just scream-singing and stamping random arrows, hoping that he'll get something right and therefore having an average of two steps correct every five seconds. Minghao and myself stood there, staring at him for a bit before looking at each other and coming to a silent agreement to not even try an expert difficulty song, no matter how compelling the song itself was.

That agreement fell through on our last song though, we chose Bigbang's Fantastic Baby even though it was an expert difficulty and we both screamed and laughed between shouting the lyrics clumsily as we were failing at stamping the arrows accurately.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> junhao being cute is my kink
> 
> this is such a fluffy chapter uwu theres ,,, not much ,,, drama/angst left


	32. Chapter 32

" _Don't forget its date night Haohao! I'm paying so don't you dare bring money with you_." I called out before slamming the bathroom door closed so I could get myself ready. I heard Minghao curse, clearly having forgotten, and laughed as I pulled off the shirt and pants I was currently wearing and stared down at what I had chosen for tonight's date night.

I easily pulled on the pair of black ripped jeans, smiling as I thought about what Minghao's reaction to the restaurant will be. When I put my arms in the button up shirt I had chosen to wear and went to button it up, I just so happened to look up and catch a glimpse of my reflection in the mirror, which made me freeze. I was never one to be very body conscious but for some reason while I was dressing myself and if I looked at the mirror, I tended to think of how skinny yet well built Minghao was and I couldn't help but feel self-conscious about my body and my weight.

" _Junnie?_ " The door at first opened a peep and then opened fully. Minghao was standing there shirtless, which made me look away slightly, flustered because of his body. Minghao looked around and observed everything in the room. " _You're criticising your body again, aren't you?_ " His voice was soft and, knowing that I had been caught, when I said my response, my voice was softer than his.

" _Gēge, you can't be doing this to yourself_ ," he stated as he came over to me and started buttoning up my shirt, looking into my eyes as he spoke, " _You have an amazing body and you are no way, in any shape or form, overweight. You're the most beautiful person I've seen and I love you and I will always love you, no matter what you look like_." He had finished buttoning the shirt and pressed a kiss to my lips.

When we pulled apart, he looked down at the shirt and dissolved into a fit of giggles. I followed where he had been looking at and also laughed, seeing that him not looking at what his hands were doing while he was buttoning up my shirt ended in a bit of a disaster.

" _Oh Xiao Haohao. Have I ever told you how much I love you?_ " He grinned up at me and then fixed up the buttons he messed up, it was then that I realised he was still shirtless and felt my face heat up. " _Why was it that you came in here again? You're still shirtless, my love_." He blinked a few times then laughed as he realised that indeed, he was still shirtless. " _I wanted your opinion, do I wear my burgundy or black turtleneck?_ " I squinted and made a duck face as I thought.

" _Black. You look hot in that black turtleneck of yours_." I stated factually. Minghao didn't even laugh at what I suggested, he just nodded with a smile and pressed his lips against mine. " _Thanks babe, I knew I could count on you_." He went to leave, but stopped by the doorway. " _By the way babe, you look hot as well_." He then closed the door again and I couldn't wipe the grin off my face as I finished dressing myself and I decided to forgo makeup.

When Minghao and I swapped areas so that he could do his hair, I tried to wink which made Minghao laugh before I went back into our closet and found a nice semi-formal jacket to wear over the button up shirt and a normal pair of black shoes. As I waited for him to come out, knowing he wouldn't take too long, I laid on our bed and scrolled through twitter, retweeting the occasional meme and posting something about our date to inform our friends, not expecting anything to come from it.

What I wasn't prepared for was an influx of notifications, and the fact that most of those notifications were follows and replies from people I didn't even know on that post about our date. Apparently somebody from the audience at the competition knew my twitter username and shared it and apparently we had fans.

There were various types of replies, people telling us to enjoy our date, people saying ugly homophobic things, some people were even saying that they had a feeling we were dating because of our interactions during performances.

Other than the overall confusion that a bunch of Kpop stans began replying to my post and following me soon after I posted, my heart welled with happiness, I was happy that some people were supportive, even if they only knew me because of the three rounds of the competition that we had participated in.

" _Gēge I'm ready~ let's go!_ " I clumsily sat up properly on our bed and smiled dorkily at Minghao, who held out a hand for me to hold. I did so and he pulled me up to a standing position without much struggle. " _So... where are we going tonight?_ " I just smiled knowingly at him, which gained a betrayed looking pout in response.

" _Trust me dear, you'll love where I'm taking you. I promise_." He smiled softly at the pet name and grabbed his phone before allowing me to drag him out of our apartment. As we walked towards where I had planned for us to eat at for our date, Minghao started swinging our interlocked hands between us.

I didn't react to it that much, just smiled at him as I kept a look out for the place, knowing it was a well hidden secret and that if I wasn't watching carefully I'd miss it. " _There_." I stopped and went left. " _Gē? That's not a restaurant, that's a flower shop_." I just, " _Oh but it's not just a florist, my love_." I smiled at the owner of the florist, who already knew who I was, and he led us through the one of the two doors at the back of the store.

The door opened and revealed a hidden little restaurant. I had once went into the florist and I saw a little pamphlet about the restaurant, so I inquired with the owner, who had been manning the store at that time, and then after finding out that it was a hidden restaurant behind the florist, I booked for our date. After more research on the florist and the connected restaurant, I found out that the food that was served was multicultural, ranging from foods we ate every day in Korea, to foods we never even knew existed that the menu said were from Australia.

I nervously looked over at Minghao to see his reaction as we were being led to our table, but he was already looking at me with a big grin on his face, before he started looking around at the interior design, looking at everything as if it were magical. There was a vanilla bean scented candle and a bouquet of different flowers on every single table, courtesy of the owner of the florist.

When we sat down at the table, I noticed a place card that was sitting on top of each menu on both seats. I thanked the owner and he smiled and walked off. After he had left, I looked down at the card and read what was on it.  
' ** _Purple Lilac_** _\- First Love_ '

I looked at the flowers in the vase on our table, searched for an image of purple lilac and flushed red when I realised that those were the flowers in our vase. "How did he know?" I muttered under my breath, staring at the flowers in amazement and then to Minghao. I sighed at how gorgeous my boyfriend looked and he looked up at me from his own card and smiled at me, which made my heart flutter.

" _I love you so much Gēge_."

_"I love you too Hao_."

 

 

     

**^purple lilac**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> three more chapters left of the main story uwu


	33. Chapter 33

We were all seated around the performing arts auditorium, having a small break before we were to return to dance practice, two weeks before the final round. Our songs had been learnt, memorised and recorded and we had been drilling the choreography for a song that had been named 'Don't Wanna Cry'. It was a beautiful song and it was very different compared to all of our other songs, which were more lighthearted and upbeat songs than this new one.

Soonyoung had gathered our little performance unit one day and told us something that he had called a secret, "Three of these last four songs interconnect with each other through the choreography. It's amazing. I'm so excited to teach you guys the choreography!" And because of how infectious his excitement was, Samuel and myself quickly became excited as well and therefore it quickly spread to Minghao and Chan, who were soon also trying to pry more spoilers about our choreography with eyes that were shining excitedly.

Soonyoung had just laughed us off and told us that he wasn't going to be 'KwonSpo' today. It was even more frustrating for us when Jihoon taught us the songs in random order, deciding to help his boyfriend with his surprise choreography connections, and then just like Jihoon did, Soonyoung decided to teach us the choreography in a random order. The two told us that we would know the actual order after we finished the choreography for the last dance and that us in our performance team had to piece together the connections before everyone else would be told about Soonyoung's plan.

" _Junnie-gē is it just me or are your knees hurting after all that floorwork?_ " Minghao asked as he scooted closer to me, dragging his butt along the floor to do so. I tried not to laugh at that visual of him dragging himself over to me, tongue sticking out in concentration, and instead closed my eyes and tried to feel if my body was in pain or aching at all. I then prodded at my knees, just to check further.

" _Uhhhh, there's a minor ache in my knees but I think that's actually normal for me. How about you?_ " I looked down at him and saw that his knees were not only exposed in the ripped jeans he was wearing, but they were also somewhat bright red in colour. " _Baobei! How could you do this to yourself? We were told to wear something that covers our knees or to bring knee pads, why did you nottttt?_ " I whined.

He leaned over and put a hand on my mouth to silence me before answering me. " _Shhhh. I'm just dumb, Gēge_." I poked my tongue out slightly and licked the palm of his hand and then laughed obnoxiously loudly at him when he ripped his hand away faster than when he had put it there in the first place. " _You're not dumb, baby, you're just forgetful_." I stated and as I patted his head lightly in a 'there there' sort of motion, he pouted, which caused my heart to swell with love. " _I love youuuuu_ ~" I cooed and kissed him sloppily

" _I'm 99.9% sure that you're the only person that I'll ever love_." Minghao confessed suddenly and I felt my face flush and my eyes widen as tears welled in them. " _Really, Haohao? Are you actually serious?_ " I asked him, speechless. He smiled and nodded, confirming it. I leaned over and pressed my lips on his in a short but sweet kiss.

" _I love you too, my one and my only, my heart and my lungs_ ~" My voice was shaky but I was completely sure of what I was saying. Minghao wiped away the tears that had formed and we both just smiled at each other for a while, staring into each other's eyes.

I vaguely remember hearing Seungkwan shouting "Oh my god I don't even know what they're saying but this entire exchange is so gay!" At some point, and eventually we stopped staring at each other and looked at Soonyoung, who still seemed to be stuck on the flip that he had wanted to do towards the end of the choreography.

Both Minghao and myself knew how to do this move, myself less flexible when doing it compared to Minghao, but when he asked us if it was okay if he did it instead when we were discussing choreography, we were fine with giving it up.

I saw something from the corner of my eye so I turned and watched whatever it was, only seconds later, there was a loud bang and what sounded like something cracking. I turned to look at Minghao and all I saw was a horrified look on his face so I looked towards Soonyoung and saw that he was face down on the floor with one arm stuck under his body.

Instantly I stood up and ran over to him, shocked, "Soonyoungie are you okay?" I asked and my only response was a pained groan. "Cheol-hyung I think Soonyoung may have broken a bone, please help me roll him over." I called out to the older who was just watching, frozen in place. He snapped out of his shock and ran over, as did Mingyu, and the two of them helped me roll Soonyoung over without touching the arm that was under his body.

As soon as Soonyoung had been rolled over, he instinctively moved his other arm to hold the clearly injured arm close to his body. Absentmindedly I noticed Jisoo guiding most of the other members out of the room, leaving only a few of us in the room. Tears were streaming down Soonyoung's face and he was only able to let out a few pathetic whimpers of pain. "Soonyoungie, I know it hurts, but I need you to try something so that I can figure out whether it's broken or not. Can you move your fingers or make a fist?" His pinky twitched and he let out a sob.

"Hurts, hyung." He whined. I grimaced at that, knowing that there was no chance that there was nothing broken. "Okay Soonyoungie, it'll be okay." I saw that Minghao was still sitting in the same place and sighed in relief, " _Xiao Haohao, I need you to call Tao-gē. If you don't have his number then I do. When he picks up, tell him who Soonyoung is and that Soonyoung has broken his arm and tell him where we are_." I called and my boyfriend immediately started doing what I had asked of him, much to my relief.

"Soonyoungie, I know it hurts, but please lift up and straighten your arm, I need to look at it." I insisted and with a pained facial expression, he lifted his arm for me to see. I immediately grimaced because that definitely was broken. The actual arm was not straight and had a huge lump which I assumed was because one of the bones in his forearm had snapped.

"Soonie baby, you're so strong." Jihoon spoke up from beside me, scaring me half to death because I had no clue he was there. He leaned forward and wiped the tears from his boyfriends eyes and held onto the hand of his non-broken arm. "Hyung is there an ice pack somewhere?" I asked Seungcheol and I heard him direct Mingyu as to where the ice packs are located. " _Gēge, Tao-gē is coming now_." Minghao informed me and I nodded, knowing I needed to get Soonyoung to stand up sooner rather than later.

With the help of Seungcheol, I managed to get him standing and when he was finally standing, Mingyu returned with an ice pack. Soonyoung let go of Jihoon's hand to hold the ice pack to his other arm. He had stopped crying by this point but looked pained as soon as he put the ice pack on to his arm. I touched just under Soonyoung's elbow and pushed his arm up so it was raised.

"Jun-hyung, because I'll be going to the hospital I'll need you to take over teaching everyone the choreography. Please send the video from my phone to yours. Also, can you or Minghao do that flip please? I'm definitely not going to do it now." He informed me with a shaky voice.

"Why are you still thinking about the damn choreography Soonyoungie? I think your broken arm is more important... but if that's what you want us to focus on while you're at the hospital then so be it, I'll teach everyone the choreography. Where is your phone and what's the passcode?" I responded and after Soonyoung pouted at him, Jihoon went to get the phone.

"My passcode is 544666." I squinted and looked at him in suspicion. "I thought that you would have Jihoon's birthday or something as your passcode." I stated and he flinched a bit before biting back a smirk. "Why do that when I can have his entire name as my passcode." I gagged at how cheesy that was but couldn't help but admire how quirky his idea was.

"You, my friend, are hopeless." I stated as I took his phone, unlocked it, went into the photos app and looked in the folder with his videos in it. I ignored all the videos of Jihoon with filters on them and instead looked through the ones that were landscape oriented, playing a few seconds of each one and looking for choreography that was familiar. After about 7 videos, I found the right one and quickly sent it to myself, handing the phone back to Jihoon.

Barely a minute after, the door opened and everyone turned to look to see who was at the door. Jeonghan came back into the room, followed by Tao. " _Is that your friend?_ " He asked me, voice soft. I nodded and smiled at Soonyoung as Tao came over. "Soonyoungie, this is Dr Wu Tao. He's a friend. Tao- _gē_ , this is Soonyoung. He... uh, he was doing a flip and didn't quite flip properly and fell and landed on his arm. I think."

Tao stopped by Soonyoung and Soonyoung had the initiative to take the ice pack off and hold his arm out for Tao to analyse it. "Yeah, that's obviously broken and because of that, I'm going to have to take you back to the hospital to get an x-ray and put a half cast on it. Is someone going to go with you?" Seungcheol opened his mouth to speak but Jihoon cut in.

"I'm going with Soonie. I'll go with my boyfriend and you keep watch over everyone and make sure they don't run amok. Either way two unit leaders are going and I trust you over myself to take care of this group of crazy children." Seungcheol nodded, albeit reluctantly and let Jihoon leave with Soonyoung and Tao after picking up both his and Soonyoung's bags. "Soonyoungie make sure you check if you'll be able to do this still!" I shouted as he left and the only sort of response was a weak raise of his arm.

After he left, the remainder of our members came back in and looked around at the room, almost as if they were expecting a massacre to have occurred. "Uh, so what's happening now?" Hansol asked and I grinned and held up my phone, which showed the video "My boys, I have been left in charge of being your choreographer now. It is my destiny to lead you all." I stated the last part jokingly and wriggled my eyebrows. The response from my friends was exactly as expected, half horrified, half awe-filled.

"Let's go boys. Let's continue from where we finished that last dance break!" I commanded and honestly understood how Soonyoung felt when he made his own choreography and taught it to others. I felt confident and powerful, which is completely opposite to how I felt most of the time. Every time I looked back at Minghao, he pulled faces at me and I had to control myself to remain calm.

Even though Soonyoung had a broken arm and he was on his way to the hospital, I didn't doubt that Tao would take care of him and I knew that one of those three would give us updates soon enough. Just as I trusted Tao with Soonyoung's well-being, Soonyoung trusted me with his choreography, so I was going to fulfil my promise and teach them the rest of the dance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I uhh,, shh this was planned
> 
> support my carat selca day?  
> @whywenjunhui - pinned tweet


	34. Chapter 34

Today had been a pretty good day, we went to a nearby park which was luckily bare of trouble making children, (although we caused enough trouble just with the 14 of us) and we were planning on having a barbecue dinner before having a sleepover so we would be together before the final round of the competition tomorrow.

Soonyoung, whose broken arm was in an annoyingly bright yellow cast, had gone to dance to the SHINee song that was playing through Hansol's fancy speaker, but abruptly stopped after nearly all of us started yelling at him to stop before he did anymore damage and wasn't allowed to dance tomorrow.

All of us were yelling, except Seokmin.

Our dear friend Seokmin screeched at the top of his lungs after the rest of us stopped when Soonyoung went to move again, making many of us freak out and jump out of shock, myself included. Over where Jeonghan and Seungcheol were manning the barbecue, Jeonghan started to cackle and Seungcheol put a hand to his head, covering his eyes in embarrassment.

" _Gēge, let's go to the playground so we can avoid Soonyoungie's hissy fit_." There was a glint of mischief in Minghao's eyes as he whispered in my ear. I grinned at him and he crouched and waddled away. Me, being the extra being that I am, started rolling away, which attracted the attention of a few of our friends.

They, however, disregarded what I was doing because this was something that has become normal to everyone. I could feel the eyes of Jeonghan and Seungcheol on us as we moved away, but they didn't seem to care too much, Jeonghan only calling out and saying, "Don't go make out in the bushes children, that's unsafe."

This made Minghao stop abruptly and I didn't see that he was still until I had already knocked him over. Seungcheol burst out laughing and Jeonghan did the same. Minghao looked at me with a small glare. "We're not going to go make out in the bushes. If we wanted to make out we'd just do it in front of everyone." Jeonghan's horrified look in response to my statement made both Minghao and I laugh as we stood up.

"We're going to behave like five year olds again. Please call for us when everything is ready. Now, if you'd just excuse us." Minghao stated, tensing up as he spoke. I looked at him in suspicion and saw his cheeky smile too late. Once I realised what was happening, he had already tagged me and bolted off, beelining straight for the playground.

I could only look at our two oldest friends momentarily and notice that Jeonghan was about to laugh before I ran after Minghao, Jeonghan's laughter being loud enough for me to hear even as I was getting further away. Minghao reached the playground and instantly climbed up on to one of the platforms. As I reached the playground, he was still trying to figure out where to go from where he was.

He didn't even notice I was there until he had finally decided where to go and I was climbing up. " _Fuck_ ," he started shouting curses in Mandarin that really weren't appropriate to repeat as he tried to escape, but I was too fast. I grabbed him by the waist as he was trying to climb up on top of one of the tunnels and brought him close to me.

" _Caught you baby_ ~" I whispered in his ear and he pouted at me. " _You always catch me Gēge, that's not fair_." I smiled softly at him, even though he couldn't see it and because I'm a cheesy boyfriend, I responded, " _If I don't always catch you I might lose you for good, my dear_." ( **Catch me I'm crying y'all Junhao are precious** )

" _Ooh! Haohao! Let's play on the playground! They have one of those spinny things that make me feel like a figure skater!_ " I was excited and Minghao just wriggled around in my arms until he was facing me, raised an eyebrow, buried his face into my chest and then groaned in frustration, making me laugh.

He had always known that a dream I was never able to fulfil was being a figure skater. Little six year old me had seen the figure skating at the Winter Olympics and fell in love with the sport, but was never able to go to a lesson with everything that I was already doing.

I grabbed Minghao by the arm and dragged him across the wooden bridge on the playground and up to the tallest slide. " _Sit down Xiao Hao Hao we're going down together_." I told him, my eyes wide from excitement. " _If I die_..." his threat trailed off as he sat down and I sat behind him, grinning widely before I pushed us forward and down the slide.

We went down disappointingly slow at the start, however we started to speed up alarmingly fast when we got halfway down. Minghao didn't even get the chance to try to slow us down as we approached the end of the slide before we flew off it and landed flat on our asses.

" _My ass hurts because of that_." Minghao complained and I just laughed before standing up and going over to the spinny piece of equipment I was oh so excited about. " _It's not my fault we ended up going too fast_." I poked my tongue out at Minghao and started spinning on the thing, pulling my body in close towards the pole and laughing as the spinning got faster.

" _You do know that it doesn't look like you're moving fast at all_." Minghao informed me and I shushed him. " _Just push me, Hao_." I told him and he did exactly that. I was enjoying it, until it started feeling like it was spinning too fast and everything started to blur together. " _Fuck! Haohao! Too fast!_ "  **(Oof out of context that dialogue is a bit... questionable)**

At my shouting, Minghao abruptly stopped the spinning by grabbing on to my waist and one of the handles. Even though it had stopped, the world kept on spinning. Minghao helped me off the spinny thing so I didn't break a foot or something and then let go of me.

Bad idea.

I stumbled a few times before I fell over onto the semi soft floor and started laughing at myself in the daze that came with my dizziness. Minghao laughed my favourite laugh of his and my heart swelled with fondness for my boyfriend.

Minghao's laughter was interrupted by the loud laughter of Chan and Jeonghan. Embarrassment flooded my body as my cheeks flushed bright red. "Come on Minghao and loser, the food is ready." Jeonghan told us once he had recovered from laughing at me.

I pouted but once Minghao helped me up and kissed my cheek, a smile formed on my face as I took his hand in mine. Chan saw that and scrunched up his face, almost in disgust. "Ew. Couples." I couldn't help but laugh at the boy and he brightened when he realised that he had made me laugh.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im 18 in a week i feel old


	35. Chapter 35

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> some potentially triggering racist/homophobic comments in one part, marked at the start and end with --

"I'm fucking dying, I'm so tired." Wonwoo moaned and I laughed, but couldn't help but relate. Several of us didn't get enough sleep because we were freaking out about how the last performances of the competition were tomorrow (or well, today now) and were regretting every single choice in life up to this moment.

"Can I sleep in the dressing room...?" Jihoon asked and many of us murmured our agreements to him sleeping, as long as we could sleep as well. Jihoon was the one who got the least amount of sleep of all of us. Because it was the last round, he was especially stressed over our final songs. The thirteen of us were extremely impressed with the songs, but Jihoon was more concerned about the thoughts of everyone else.

He loved how we responded to his songs for this last round and our willingness to do several different styles with the songs. We loved how he and Soonyoung had come up with the idea to connect three of the four songs we were performing through the choreography.

We arrived at the venue a lot earlier than necessary and those of us who didn't have much sleep immediately took vacancy of the couches and those who couldn't fit on those took some of the swivel chairs and brought them over so we were all sleeping in the same area.

I managed to get a spot on the couch and I gestured for Minghao to lay on top of me. I held him close to me and barely heard Jeonghan's statement of how he was going to wake us up at a certain time, (And then told all of our friends who weren't trying to sleep to keep track of the time in case he fell asleep as well) before I fell asleep.

If I dreamed then I couldn't remember it at all when I woke up to Minghao playing with my hair. I opened my eyes to see my boyfriend, still laying on top of me, looking up at me with both hands up near my face. " _Are you alright there Hao?_ " He froze and I chuckled at his reaction. " _Don't stop baby_ , ( **StOP BABY DONT STOP im sorry that song was on like 10 minutes ago** )  _that feels nice. It's soothing_."

" _Nuh-uh I need to stop or you'll fall back asleep, Gē_." He whispered and I groaned quietly. " _We need to start getting the children prepped anyway_." He added and I then frowned in confusion. " _Children? Babe, you're younger than most of them_." He shushed me at what I said and responded with, " _They don't need to know that_." And I couldn't help but laugh at that.

Minghao got off of my lap before he helped me stand up and we then successfully navigated our way through the maze of legs of the others who were still asleep without waking them. Once we got out I took a good look at the members who weren't asleep and tried to think about looks for this final performance of the competition.

" _Hao_." I spoke and Minghao turned to look at me. " _I say we go dramatic. Not over the top dramatic but like... do you get what I mean?_ " Minghao, much to my relief, understood what I meant. He called over Seungcheol and I called over Samuel and we both started to work on the makeup while our other friends were playing around on their phones or sleeping.

(No surprise here, but Jeonghan fell asleep as well and Jisoo ended up having to wake the others up.)

By the time all of our friends were awake enough to comprehend the idea of a quick rehearsal, there was only a few people left to get ready. Upon hearing the word 'rehearsal' Soonyoung immediately started sprinting to the practice room, ignoring all of our shouts for him to slow down and be careful.

Soon after he ran out, some of us sighed, (Jihoon - 'disappointed in his boyfriend', Jeonghan and Seungcheol - 'stressed out about Soonyoung', Wonwoo - 'regretting being friends with that weirdo' and Seokmin - 'because everyone else was sighing so why not?') and soon after, as Jeonghan turned away from them to talk to Seungcheol, Chan and Samuel bolted out of the room and after Soonyoung.

"Everyone is acting like a crackhead today I swear." Hansol noted and miraculously, our three eldest friends managed to facepalm at the exact same moment in response to what he said. "C'mon lets go practice hyungs. And Nonie... stop being an idiot." Hansol pouted at Seungkwan's words but smiled when the older boy held his hand.

The rest of us followed soon after and when we got to the practice room, Soonyoung, Chan and Samuel were all playing around with each other as they waited. "Hey boys, lets practice now. We don't want anything happening just because you're excited." They all smiled at us, which was a little bit creepy, and thankfully, followed what Seungcheol asked them to do and stopped.

"Shall we start?" Soonyoung's eyes were sparkling. He was excited that he was finally allowed to dance properly for the first time since he broke his arm.

We got through our final rehearsal without any stress and Soonyoung danced as if he didn't actually have a broken arm and hasn't been allowed to dance for a few weeks. He went back to the dressing room with a skip in his step and we followed, laughing between us at his enthusiasm.

\--

\--

\--

We stopped, however, when we noticed that there were a few people in front of Soonyoung, blocking his path. It was one of the older groups in the competition who always fell short of us when we received the judgement for each round. "Oh look it's the rest of the gay boys." One of them called out as he noticed us approaching. "And their little slave baby." Another added, aiming this at Samuel, who hid behind me and buried his face into my back.

Seungcheol and Jeonghan went forward to defend Samuel, but were pulled back by Mingyu, who held onto their wrists. "You assholes are lucky that Mingyu is holding us back because you do not insult Samuel. Insult me all you want, but not our baby." Jeonghan spat.

"How does it feel to cheat by using a stupid boy crush concept?" The third one asked. Remembering our concept for our songs for this final round, I couldn't help but let out a chuckle. "We're not using a boy crush concept this time, sorry guys, but I think we have a high chance to win regardless." I stated and when the last one glared at me, I stood my ground and didn't back off, no matter how much I felt like I wanted to die because of the guy's glare.

"Well I bet you paid good money to buy someone's songs." The second asked and, scarily, in unison, we laughed. "Woozi says hi." Soonyoung spat. The last one laughed "Who the fuck is Woozi?" He asked. "Me, bitch." Jihoon stood forward and dragged Soonyoung back to us. A few of them laughed. "You're so fucking short." One of them stated blandly.

"Fuck you, height is not an issue in producing music you fucker." Jihoon immediately shot back, starting to raise his voice. Minghao quickly stepped back from where he was standing next to Wonwoo and as soon as I noticed he was searching for my hand, I grabbed onto his hand and squeezed it tight.

"Hannie." My voice was soft, but loud enough for the older boy to hear. He tilted and turned his head, only slightly. "I'm going to take Hao and Muel with me, we're gonna go another way back to the dressing room and tell someone what's happening." Jeonghan nodded and I grabbed one of Samuel's hands with my spare hand, turning around and walking away.

"Look at that! The foreign fuckers are leaving. Go on, you'd better join them, little half-caste whore." At that time, Seungkwan apparently decided for himself, Hansol and Chan, that they were not dealing with the language of these people and grabbed the hands of the two younger boys and followed me.  
\--

\--

\--

On the way around, I saw a staff member who was always nice to us and called out to them. They stopped what they were doing and came over to us and I explained what was happening. I could see how mad they were and when they were leaving, they immediately called someone.

A few minutes after we got back into the room and I had calmed down my friends who were offended and/or upset, the rest of our friends came back. "What happened after we left?" I asked and Jeonghan smirked. "Well, the staff came soon after and they have officially been disqualified." My jaw dropped in disbelief. All that Jeonghan could do to assure me it was true was nod reassuringly.

"Well... That's what they get for being assholes I guess." I stated and Jeonghan laughed at me before calling over Mingyu to prepare his face before we'd let him do his hair and the hair of others.

We ended up being ready about an hour early so we played a few games before we were called to get geared up and started waiting on the side of the stage. Vaguely, I heard the MC announce that the older group who was treating us horribly was disqualified, but I didn't pay much attention to it as I was too busy hyping myself up for our own performance.

" _Gēge, I'm so nervous, yet so excited. I hope we'll do well_." Minghao muttered to me and quickly kissed me on the cheek. " _Haohao we'll do fine, I just know it. Let's just get out there and show them the best show we can possibly perform_." I encouraged him and he smiled at me after what I said.

The lights on stage went out at that moment and before he turned his mic on, I heard Seungcheol shout, "Now let's do the best performance yet!" and then we went on stage and waited for the music to start.

About an hour later, all of the groups were called out onto the stage. This was it, the moment of truth. We waited as the judges gave their criteria and as we waited, I felt Minghao get closer to me and backhug me, nervous about what the results would end up being. I grabbed him by the arm and pulled him around so he was practically hugging me from the front and we had our foreheads touching.

"And the winner is, Seventeen!"

Jaws dropped, tears started falling from the eyes of our 95 liners, leaders and youngest members. Not caring how anyone would react, I held onto Minghao's cheeks and brought his face up to connect our lips in a kiss. I was amazed and disbelieving of what had just happened.

Some of the other competitors came up to us and congratulated us and the more people that did that, the more real it got, and soon enough, I found myself crying as well, which resulted in me hiding my face in Minghao's neck as I tried not to let my tears show.

After we had gotten back to our dressing room and had taken our makeup off and were beginning to pack away and clean up the room, we were suddenly distracted by a knock on the door. The door opened after Seungcheol told them it was okay for them to come in and a staff member popped their head through.

"Seventeen, we have someone here who has requested to talk to you all." they said. We exchanged looks before Seungcheol told them it was okay for the person to come in. That was when a man who would change everything for us entered our dressing room.

"Hello Seventeen. I am a talent scout for Pledis Entertainment and after watching all of your performances throughout this competition, I would like to invite you all to become idols under Pledis."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is the end of the actual story... wow i never thought i'd get this far. I'll add the epilogue once completed and special chapters will be added as a new story and both this and the extras will be put in a collection
> 
> if you want to scream at me: https://twitter.com/whywenjunhui  
> if you want to read other stories i havent posted here: https://www.wattpad.com/user/dreameh
> 
> i will return


	36. EPILOGUE

Seungcheol called the number provided on the business card and put the phone on loud speaker. We shushed the loud members as the dial tone sounded and then fell completely silent when we heard a voice.

" **Hello? Pledis Entertainment scouting unit here**."

It was the same man we had talked to after the competition. Excitement bubbled in my body and I couldn't help but shiver in anticipation.

"Yes hello, I'm Choi Seungcheol, from Seventeen? I'm calling to get back to you on the offer to become artists under Pledis?"

" **Ah yes, hello Mr Choi. What have you and your friends decided?** "

Seungcheol looked up and smiled at each of us before he answered.

"We've decided to accept your offer sir." He spoke and there was a momentary pause from the scout

" **Magnificent. I shall organise an appointment with the CEO to discuss your contracts. Please hold for a moment as I call the CEO to discuss a time**." There was a beep and then the faint sound that indicated the phone call being put on hold.

Seungcheol looked up, eyes bright and then in late realisation, our friends all began to react. Seungkwan squealed, Seokmin screamed, Mingyu started crying (even if he claims that he wasn't crying, he was, I saw it), Chan started shaking Hansol's shoulder and the boy's head flopped from side to side, in too much shock to do anything else.

Samuel was jumping up and down before he suddenly ran up to Jeonghan and gave him a huge kiss on the cheek, rendering the second oldest speechless, Wonwoo's jaw dropped, Soonyoung hugged Jihoon extremely tight, Jihoon seemingly had tears in his eyes, which in itself was very rare and Jisoo looked around at all of us with a huge smile on his face.

I turned my head to face Minghao and I saw that my boyfriend's eyes were wide and teary. I wrapped my arms around his body and hugged him tightly but he reached for my face with his hands and once he had a grip on my face, he pulled me into a kiss. " _Gēge... We made it. We're finally going to become idols. We get to follow our dreams_." he whispered to me once we pulled away.

We sat there for a few moments, staring into each others eyes and wiping away our tears with our foreheads touching, before our attention was brought back to the phone.

" **I've just talked- oh hello boys** ," The scout's voice made us all quiet down abruptly and as Seungcheol stuttered an apology, he laughed, " **Please don't apologise, it's understandable that you are all excited. Now, as I was saying, I have organised an appointment with the ceo of Pledis,  Mr Han Sung-Soo for the upcoming Sunday, is that alright with you all?** "

Without thinking I responded to his question, "Well, if anyone had anything on Sunday, they'd have to put it off if they want to take this chance, because becoming an idol doesn't come easy, sometimes you have to make sacrifices." I spoke. When Minghao pulled away from me to stare, wide eyed at my wise words, the scout responded.

" **That is absolutely correct, who said that? Identify yourself please**." I put my face in my hands in embarrassment, finally realising I had spoken even though Seungcheol had requested that only he spoke. "It was Jun." Seungcheol answered for me and because his voice didn't seem particularly angry, I looked up and saw that he was looking straight at me with a smile on his face.

" **Junhui, you are quite wise. You have the mindset of an idol already. Have you ever been in the entertainment industry?** " He asked and I realised that he was actually talking to me and screamed inwardly at myself because I shouldn't have talked and I'm a dumbass.

"Yes... I was a somewhat popular child actor back in China before I moved to Korea." I answered.

" **Wonderful. Now, back on to our main topic."** I almost sighed in relief upon hearing that. **"I will meet you at the entry of the Pledis building at noon on Sunday and I will take you to a meeting room where you will discuss contracts and your trainee period with our CEO**." he informed us.

"Thank you sir. Is there any other information we would need to know for Sunday?" Seungcheol questioned and there was silence for a few seconds.

" **No, that is all. If you wish to learn more about our company you can easily search for it. Have a good day boys. I anticipate our meeting**."  
  


 

That was four days ago. Now, with ten minutes to spare, we were stood outside of Pledis Entertainment. Upon researching Pledis, we found out that the company that was near the apartment building that Minghao and myself were living in was Pledis and laughed at the irony of the situation.

The door opened and the man walked out, he was checking his watch as he went out the door but as he stopped at the few stairs in front of the building, he looked up and I could see the surprise in his face when he saw that we were waiting for him.

"You're here early... Well I suppose I could introduce you boys to your senior group, Nu'est..." I noticed Seungcheol freeze when he said the name of our senior group. "Sure, if we have time to do so then that would be great." Jeonghan answered for Seungcheol, looking at his boyfriend in concern.

"Follow me then, I'll take you to meet them." He turned and walked into the Pledis building and we followed. We walked past the reception area where there was a kind woman - the receptionist - who greeted us as we walked past.

After that, we were led down a hallway and he opened the door to the last room in the hall. Before I had even entered, I heard Jeonghan's shocked "Minki?" and I was confused. I pushed past the others and frowned in confusion upon seeing our friend in the room, looking at us with a guilty look.

"Hyung... What are you doing here?" I asked and then his face dropped. "I'm sorry for not telling you but... I'm an idol. I'm a member of Nu'est and I debuted recently. Hannie, Junnie, I'm sorry for keeping it from you two especially. I wasn't allowed to tell just yet. I hope you don't hate me." Jeonghan pulled the other into a hug and I furrowed my eyebrows, confused because I hadn't seen anything about Nu'est.

"Hyung. We'd never hate you." I reassured him. He smiled at me and then pulled away and stood with the other members of his group, who I could tell would ask him what that was about after we left. There was a small pause before one of the members spoke "1, 2, 3," the other members joined in for the introduction "Show time. Nu'est time. Hello, we are," all members except one stopped, "urban electro  band" they all joined back in for the last part "Nu'est."

The members introduced themselves, and for the sake of our friends who didn't know Minki already, he introduced himself as well. We also introduced ourselves and it was awkward for a moment before Seokmin approached Minhyun. As soon as our friends started mingling with Minki's group, Seungcheol went over to who we now knew as the leader, Jonghyun. I watched what they were doing, confused, and looked at them with even more confusion when the leader pulled Seungcheol into a tight hug.

"Hyunnie is that really you?" Seungcheol asked and I heard a quiet "What the fuck." from behind me and saw Jisoo there, also looking at what was happening in confusion. I hummed in agreement, which alerted Jisoo to me hearing him. He looked at me with a slight frown and gestured towards Seungcheol. "Same." I muttered.

"Okay boys, it's nice that you're getting along with Nu'est, but we need to go to meet the CEO now." We all said goodbye and once we were back out of the room, Jisoo and I walked on either side of Seungcheol and once Seungcheol noticed we were on either side of him, Jisoo spoke.

"How do you know Jonghyun-sunbae? You and him seemed pretty tight." he asked and Seungcheol tensed slightly because we had called him out for what we had noticed, "Don't call him sunbae he's literally the biggest dork who just wants to be called hyung. And he's been a friend of mine since I was younger but we haven't seen each other in like six years now."

Impressed, I nodded and Jisoo looked at me and also nodded. "Now please don't interrogate me anymore, I'm terrified about meeting the CEO and you two aren't helping." I laughed and looked for Minghao as we walked and immediately went back to him when I found him. He asked me what we had been talking about and I shrugged it off, telling him I'd explain later.

Soon enough we arrived at a door with the word 'CEO' written on it. The man knocked on the door and after a few seconds, a well dressed man came out. His eyes widened when he saw how many of us there were but smiled shortly after. We bowed out of respect and when he spoke, all he said was, "Come." before he led us to one of the conference rooms we had passed earlier. He sat in the big chair at the head of the table and we lingered by the doorway.

When he saw that we weren't moving from the doorway, he gestured to the seats around the table. "Have a seat boys, lets talk." After we all sat down, the CEO looked at us individually before asking us to introduce ourselves and our self set position in our group. We did this and he smiled at Samuel when he introduced himself.

"I will start with the basics of your contract, you can ask any questions afterwards. We strongly disagree with the concept of slave contracts so we try to avoid any unfair terms. If you think there is anything unfair in what I tell you, feel free to voice your concerns.

"If you do decide to sign the contract, there will be fees included for lessons throughout your trainee period, and then for stylists and promotions. However, these fees will be paid off over the years you are with us from the profits from album sales, concerts and other things like this. It will also go towards dorms, however, if you are living nearby to our company or if you would not be allowed to move out yet, you do not have to move into the dorms just yet.

"Your contract... for now there will be a temporary contract and then before you debut we will create a new contract, this will last for four years. If you, at any time, especially during your trainee period, decide that you no longer want to be with us, we will not force you to pay an unreasonable amount to leave.

"Discrimination is not acceptable in Pledis and if we catch anyone discriminating against someone else in our company, you will either be asked to leave the company, or punished accordingly. We will not stand for any bullying, racism, sexism or anything like that, so you can feel free to see this company as a safe place.

"We do not force any of our artists into relationships or rivalries with idols from other companies, therefore, you are allowed to create your own friendships and relationships through your experience as an idol.

"You are allowed to work while you are a trainee, but once preparation starts for your debut, you will have to quit any jobs you have because it can be a threat to your safety, and the safety of the people you work with. I believe that with the talents that were displayed through that competition that you participated in and won, you may only need to train for six months.

"Those are the main things I needed to discuss. Are there any questions regarding anything that I might not have mentioned?" I raised my hand slowly, realising that my main concern with becoming an idol wasn't directly addressed. "Yes, Junhui?"

"Does Pledis have a strict dating policy? If we were to date one of our members, another idol, or someone unknown, would we be kicked from the company? Would you condemn us if we preferred to date people of the same sex?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the epilogue will now split into two parts, a happy end and a not so happy end. enjoy
> 
> (hhh im trying to upload both parts of the epilogue but ao3 comes up with an error page ... great


	37. EPILOGUE (1)

We all watched for the CEO's reaction, dead silent, not even Soonyoung and Seokmin were muttering things to each other under their breaths anymore. I had known that most of my friends had clearly been waiting for someone else to ask that question and having been in front of important people in the entertainment industry before, I had decided to be the one to ask it.

The time between when I had asked the question and when he finally answered felt like it went on forever. When he finally answered it felt like a huge tension was lifted from the room. "Of course not, you can date whoever you want, we're not going to force you to date anyone and if you happen to be in love with one of your members, so be it, love is love. You may lose fans when you come out and you may gain fans when you come out, but we won't do anything against any of you if you come out while you are under us."

I felt like I could cry at that moment, I was overjoyed because I knew that other companies may not have the same views. "Thank you so much for accepting us Sir. This is really... this feels like a dream." I let out a breath as I said that. "Are any of you..?" He trailed off, but we knew what he meant.

I held Minghao's hand and looked at him before I held our intertwined hands up for him to see. He nodded at our confession, eyes twinkling with interest. Seungcheol and Jeonghan did the same afterwards, followed by Seungkwan and Hansol, Wonwoo and Mingyu and then Jihoon and Soonyoung.

"I'm not surprised, based on what I've seen of you boys so far, but I'm impressed that you boys are so open about this without fear." He complimented. "Even more so now, we'd love to have you in this company. Your trainee contracts... Mr Kang..." the scout placed a large file on the table and the CEO took out several small piles of paper and he stood up, setting one in front of each of us.

Seungcheol read out all the terms and rules listed in the contract and I was pleased to hear that it was almost exactly the same as what he had told us. Having seen the photocopy of my old acting contract, I knew what a legitimate contract should include in it and because of my old manager's training (back then I didn't really care, but thankfully his advice did stick with me), I knew of many things companies used to trick aspiring artists into signing a slave contract.

I picked up a pen that was in front of me and signed at the bottom of the contract, passing the pen to Minghao so he could do the same. I watched as he signed it, excitement growing more and more as he signed his name. After he had signed his contract, he looked up at me, the same amount of excitement reflected in his eyes.

This was it. Our dream had come true.

**-Five years later-**

This time three years ago, we had our debut showcase. Now, we are celebrating our third year. During our first year, as per our CEO's recommendation, we stayed closeted, hid our relationship from our growing fanbase. The first relationship our fans became aware of was Seungkwan and Hansol's, the boys ~accidentally~ kissed each other after we got our first win.

Our fans screamed, articles came out, people wrote hate comments, people stopped supporting us, we got a surge of international support, all while people thought it was accidental.

It wasn't accidental. The boys shared a post explaining that same fact. There was more negativity, more homophobia, there was also a surge of positivity. There were calls for Pledis to remove the boys from the group, there were anonymous death threats, but there were also internationally trending support hashtags and the never-ending support from our company.

Because they knew the younger boys probably wouldn't be able to handle the pressure for much longer, no matter how strong they showed themselves to be in the public, Soonyoung and Jihoon came out. They posted a cheesy love song that they had written about their relationship, and when asked about it, said exactly what it was, a coming out song.

They received a similar amount of hate, but they refused to be bothered by people who couldn't understand that they don't care about what others thought about their relationship. Seungcheol and Jeonghan came out as being in a relationship after being caught making out in our dressing room by the recording crew for the behind the scenes of our first ever concert. They went onstage with slightly swollen lips and then at the end of the night, right before going offstage, they outed themselves and ran offstage, laughing all the way.

Mingyu and Wonwoo were pretty 'no bullshit' about how they revealed their relationship, they literally did a whole vlive where they revealed that they were dating. During the time between when Seungkwan and Hansol came out and Seungcheol and Jeonghan, Minghao confessed to me the real reason why he broke up with me, because he was afraid of his father finding him and hurting me because we were together.

I reassured him constantly that his mother had gotten a restraining order against him and he was not legally allowed to come near him unless he himself had it removed, I reassured him that he always had me to protect him if he felt he couldn't protect himself, that he had all of our friends, our hyungs and dongsaengs who would do anything to keep each other safe.

We came out with an official statement, simple, but effective for what we were trying to tell our fans, that was followed by a spam of photos on social media that we've wanted to share but never been able to because we were still closeted. Holding hands, one of the cute photos one of our members caught of us kissing in the practice room, one photo from when we first started dating, it made me happy to see the support that we were getting.

Once people realised that just because almost all of our group was dating each other it didn't mean that we were going to stray from the type of music we had always created, they were less harsh with their criticisms. It wasn't fully gone, there were still extremely homophobic people sending hate to us, but because we've dealt with that before, because it's nothing new, we didn't let it bother us and only decided to continue what we were doing, even more happy than what we were before we came out.

Now, as we prepare for our new comeback, I couldn't help but remember what happened in the past, the struggles we faced just in the competition, Minghao being extremely ill, Soonyoung breaking his arm, I remembered the struggles from our time as trainees, one to two hours of sleep for weeks on end, dancing over and over again, which caused Samuel to pass out once, the lack of hygiene products due to the high expenses for training in areas where we still lacked.

But then I think of how much all those things helped us get to where we were now, how all those long nights of training improved our stamina so much, how the lack of hygiene products taught us that we must be able to make do with what we have in times of need, in times where we may be struggling financially.

I often like to look down at my hands and on one hand see the ring that all of the members have, signifying us as a member of Seventeen, signifying the struggles we went through in the past. On the other hand I see my promise ring.

On Minghao's birthday two years after our debut, I proposed with the promise rings we both now wear, I promised him that one day we would be able to say the vows that we see in dramas to each other. We jokingly made a bet, trying to decide who would cry first on the day of our wedding, Minghao said I would, but there's no way I'd cry first, I almost never cry.

We had achieved our dreams and we managed to do it together. We were happy and we were with our friends, that had to be the best thing possible. My life was good and I wouldn't want to change a thing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> were nearly at the end... this and the next chapter are the alternate versions of the ending of the epilogue


	38. EPILOGUE (2)

He was silent for a few moments, then his gaze hardened and my heart dropped. "You can date whatever woman you want, but dating within the group, dating other idols from companies with strict dating policies and dating other males is forbidden due to the backlash that will affect this company. We will not criticise you if you are gay but if you break these rules regarding dating you will be removed from the company."

We exchanged worried looks at the words and I couldn't help but sigh in defeat, knowing we should've expected this from the start, that we should've expected that it'd be hard to find a company which would fully accept us. "If you are in relationships currently you'll probably have to end them because you won't have time to have a lover. If you are dating someone else at this table you had better break up unless you want to endanger your chance of debuting with this group before you even start training."

I grabbed Minghao's hand underneath the table and squeezed it reassuringly after he looked at me with slight panic because of what was said. "We... understand sir." Seungcheol spoke, voice significantly quieter than the excited loud tone he was speaking with previously. "Good, now, Mr Kang, if you could please bring out the contracts..." The scout brought out the contracts and the CEO set one in front of each of us. I read through everything carefully, looking out for terms that may seem harmless but are actually hidden terms for a slave contract.

I was satisfied enough with the terms that I signed my name on it. Afterwards I put my hands under the table and looked up at Minghao. The younger was excited, that much was obvious, because we were actually achieving our dream and not many people get to do that, but I could see it in his eyes that he was upset that we couldn't be open about our relationship.

He signed his contract and after passing the pen along and passing our signed contracts to the CEO at the head of the table, he put his hands under the table as well and found my hand under the table. Reassuringly, I squeezed his hand and he smiled softly at me. " _Gége, it's finally happening, our dream is coming true_." He whispered and I smiled back. A few minutes later the CEO announced "Well, welcome to Pledis boys."

**_-_ ** **Two years later** **_-_ **

If I had to say anything about life now after signing that contract, I would say that it's exhausting. More often then not we end up just sleeping in our practice room because we're too exhausted to go back to our apartment, and we have little to no free time.

It was a commonly recurring issue that we would get one to two hours of sleep each day to a point where more often than not, one of us would have an emotional breakdown during training due to exhaustion.

We had all been hiding our relationships from our company, from our fans, from everyone for so long and it was making us miserable. Minghao and I especially didn't want to break up because we knew that what happened after last time would end up happening again just because that's what type of people we were.

We treasured the time we spent alone together and we used fanservice as an excuse for us being 'romance-y' at public events, however, we knew that one day one of us would get caught and we would all be punished for it, because luck doesn't seem to be in our favour very often.

It's not like anyone had voiced it out loud and jinxed it, but we were all thinking it, which is why we weren't surprised when we were summoned to the same meeting room which we signed our first contracts in.

The CEO was sitting in his seat already and we stood at the door before he told us to sit. There was no shine in his eyes, which we associated with him being in a good mood, there was a pile of papers in front of him, printing side down and he was tapping his fingers on the arm of his chair.

Oh no, this was not good at all.

"Boys, it has been brought to my attention that you have broken some of my rules... more specifically the rules regarding dating."

Shit.

"I thought I'd told you to break off your relationships, especially if you were dating each other." His voice was low, eyes dark. "Well? What do you have to say for yourselves?"

Nobody wanted to say anything, that much was obvious, but the CEO was getting impatient, he wanted answers. "We couldn't just break up, we've all been in our relationships for so long and it's ridiculous to tell us to not be in a relationship if we're in the same group, nobody has seen us do anything so what's the harm in us being together?"

"Nobody has seen? What's this then?" My heart dropped hearing those words, and he picked up the pile of paper and dropped it in front of the nearest person. I peeked over and at the top I saw a grainy picture of two people kissing, my breath caught in my throat when I realised that it was Minghao and myself, I could recognise the clothes we had worn that day even though the photo was extremely grainy.

The caption read 'Seventeen members hiding secret relationships?' Although the source of the article was a source that always made everything seem worse and often released fake rumours to ruin idols reputations, it was actually true for once.

After scanning through all the pages, Jihoon and Soonyoung passed it along to Minghao and myself and I noticed that the two had paled, Soonyoung looking at the table in front of him with a very dazed look. Minghao and myself looked through the papers and saw pages upon pages of photos of all of us, captured in places where we thought we had privacy; dressing rooms, bathrooms, practice rooms, everywhere it was not morally acceptable to take photos. There was even a photo of Minghao and myself from inside our apartment.

We passed it on silently, not daring to say anything, to react, or even look at each other, knowing one of us would probably break down due to the fact that all of those photos were taken in a way that was a breach of our privacy

"So, what do you have to say for yourselves?" He asked.

We were all silent for a while before Seungcheol spoke up. "Those photos are breaches of our privacy... They're illegal. At this point, I couldn't care less about the fact that you caught us out for hiding our relationships, but the fact that there are cameras in the dressing rooms and bathrooms, and that there are photos being taken of us in our homes, that's just wrong. If you don't kick us out then I want all of us out voluntarily, I will not allow my friends to be subjected to this."

After saying that, he gestured to all of us, Seungkwan was sobbing quietly with Hansol holding him tightly, as if he was afraid of him being taken away. Minghao and myself were tightly holding each other's hands, Jeonghan had decided to pull Samuel into his lap and hug him to find a sense of comfort in the familiarity of the younger boy who he constantly liked to hug, even Chan moved seats and held his hyung's hand without protest, knowing that the worst was likely going to come after this.

Soonyoung had suddenly gripped Jihoon's arm as the younger glared at the wall, not daring to look anywhere else. Mingyu had lost his ever-present smile and even Wonwoo's small smile that he normally wore around us was gone. Seokmin had even gone uncharacteristically quiet after peeking over Seungkwan's shoulder when he was looking at the pictures.

"You are wonderful artists, but we cannot have you with us any longer, we cannot afford a scandal like this, I'm sorry boys but you are out of the company." Seungcheol let out a small sound of surprise, as if what just happened wasn't what he had just been talking about. In any other situation, I would have facepalmed at the ridiculousness of the way my oldest friend reacted, but I was too fearful to do anything more than hold my boyfriend close.

"Fine, we will live our lives just fine without the suffering that comes with fame, it's obvious that you saw us more as pawns to get money anyway, you didn't care for us at all and only let us rest when our fans spoke out. Fuck you." Were my last words to the CEO before I stood up, still holding Minghao's hand for him to see and walked out of both the room and the building. The rest of our friends followed shortly after and we made our way to Jin's cafe where I used to work.

When my old boss saw me, he looked surprised, to say the least. "Junnie? What are you doing? I thought you had training today? Why aren't you covering yourself aren't you not supposed to be seen in a public place?" I smiled weakly.

"Hyung would you accept me back and maybe also some of my friends?" Jin's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Did it not work out...?" He asked tentatively and I nodded hesitantly.

It's... A long story, I'll tell you soon enough hyung. Can I just get our usuals? Then we can talk once you get a chance." He nodded in agreement and set to making our orders, I decided to join him behind the counter and help as a few customers came in.

The two of us fell into our usual pattern, even though it had been over a year since I had worked with him, but then I thought of something I could do to spite Pledis for treating us like shit and honestly, it made me feel a little less like shit for giving up my dream.

But you know what, I'd prefer to be with Minghao over being an idol any day because well... love can make you do crazy things sometimes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it the end y'all can you believe?
> 
> Thank you for joining me on this journey, this has been one of the best things in my life so far, this is the only fanfiction I've ever finished and... im proud of myself for doing this.
> 
> Comment any pairings you would like me to write about from any group and I'll see what I can do~

**Author's Note:**

> Please don't forget to comment what you liked and I hope you'll support this until the end
> 
> Buy me a coffee (even though I only drink tea): [Here](https://www.ko-fi.com/dreameh)


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